Birth Order and Activity Level in Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eaton, Warren O.; And Others

1989-01-01

Studied 7,018 children between birth and 7 years and 81 children of 5-8 years to test the hypothesis that birth order is negatively related to motor activity level. Activity level declined linearly across birth position, so that early-borns were rated as more active than later-borns. (RJC)

Level of agreement between physical activity levels measured by ActiHeart and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire in persons with intellectual disability.

PubMed

Moss, Sarah J; Czyz, Stanislaw H

2018-02-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the level of agreement between objective physical activity (PA) (ActiHeart ® ) and subjective proxy-respondent International Physical Activity Questionnaire-short version (IPAQ-S) data in adults with intellectual disabilities (IDs). Fifty-eight participants wore ActiHeart ® monitors for seven consecutive days. Caregivers of each participant completed the IPAQ-S on behalf of the participant. Total PA, time spent in light, moderate, and vigorous activity as well as time spent being sedentary were assessed by the IPAQ-S and the ActiHeart ® . Results were compared by means of correlation analyses. The level of agreement was presented with Bland-Altman plots. Objective PA (ActiHeart ® ) was higher (225.57 ± 91.96 min/week) than IPAQ-S PA reported by care-givers (177.06 ± 309.17 min/week). Weak significant correlations were observed between the ActiHeart ® and IPAQ-S instruments for sedentary behavior (r = 0.31; p = 0.04); no significant correlations for light (r= -0.04; p = 0.8), moderate (r= -0.07; p = 0.63), or vigorous PA (r= -0.2; p = 0.18) were found. Limited agreement between objectively determine PA (ActiHeart ® ) and IPAQ-S was found. IPAQ-S is inaccurate when determining PA in persons with ID as it significantly underestimates the true levels of PA in this cohort. Implications for Rehabilitation Persons with intellectual disability (ID) report insufficient physical activity for health benefits. Physical activity is often determined by means of subjective proxy reporting. Objective physical activity measurements by means of combined heart rate and accelerometer are necessary to determine accurate levels of physical activity in persons with ID. Exercise interventions should be based on objective physical activity measurements.

High Dose Atorvastatin Decreases Cellular Markers of Immune Activation Without Affecting HIV-1 RNA Levels: Results of a Double-Blind Randomized Placebo Controlled Clinical Trial

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-15

M A J O R A R T I C L E High Dose Atorvastatin Decreases Cellular Markers of Immune Activation without Affecting HIV-1 RNA Levels: Results of a... atorvastatin on HIV-1 RNA (primary objective) and cellular markers of immune activation (secondary objective). HIV-infected individuals not receiving...antiretroviral therapy were randomized to receive either 8 weeks of atorvastatin (80 mg) or placebo daily. After a 4–6 week washout phase, participants

Does regional disadvantage affect health-related sport and physical activity level? A multi-level analysis of individual behaviour.

PubMed

Wicker, Pamela; Downward, Paul; Lera-López, Fernando

2017-11-01

This study examines the role of regional government quality in health-related participation in sport and physical activity among adults (18-64 years) in 28 European countries. The importance of the analysis rests in the relative autonomy that regional and local governments have over policy decisions connected with sport and physical activity. While existing studies have focussed on economic and infrastructural investment and expenditure, this research investigates the quality of regional governments across 208 regions within 28 European countries. The individual-level data stem from the 2013 Eurobarometer 80.2 (n = 18,675) and were combined with regional-level data from Eurostat. An individual's level of participation in sport and physical activity was measured by three variables reflecting whether an individual's activity level is below, meets, or exceeds the recommendations of the World Health Organization. The results of multi-level analyses reveal that regional government quality has a significant and positive association with individual participation in sport and physical activity at a level meeting or exceeding the guidelines. The impact is much larger than that of regional gross domestic product per capita, indicating that regional disadvantage in terms of political quality is more relevant than being disadvantaged in terms of economic wealth.

Parental Activity as a Determinant of Activity Level and Patterns of Activity in Obese Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalakanis, Lisa E.; Goldfield, Gary S.; Paluch, Rocco A.; Epstein, Leonard H.

2001-01-01

Investigated the level and pattern of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in obese children, examining predictors of their activity. Children and their parents wore accelerometers for several days and provided demographic data. Parental activity levels significantly and independently predicted and improved the prediction of children's…

Habitual physical activity and estradiol levels in women of reproductive age.

PubMed

Jasienska, Grazyna; Ziomkiewicz, Anna; Thune, Inger; Lipson, Susan F; Ellison, Peter T

2006-10-01

Variation in the risk of breast cancer observed among women and among populations may be explained by variation in lifetime exposure to estrogens. The suppressive effect of exercise on estradiol levels in women is well documented, but it is unknown whether habitual (i.e. typical daily) physical activity has a similar effect. Epidemiological data suggest that physical activity is one of the few modifiable factors capable of reducing the risk of breast cancer in women. We investigated whether variation in the amount of habitual activity corresponds to variation in estradiol levels in women of reproductive age. One hundred and thirty-nine regularly menstruating women 24-37 years of age collected daily saliva samples for one complete menstrual cycle and kept a daily log of physical activity. Saliva samples were analyzed for concentration of estradiol. We observed a negative relationship between habitual physical activity and salivary levels of estradiol. Mean estradiol was 21.1 pmol/l in the low, 17.9 pmol/l in the moderate and 16.6 pmol/l in the high activity group (all pairwise differences were statistically significant at P<0.009). A strong association exists between physical activity and levels of estradiol among women of reproductive age. A modern lifestyle, characterized by reduced physical activity, may therefore contribute to a rise in the levels of estradiol produced during menstrual cycles and thus to higher cumulative lifetime exposure to estradiol, resulting in a higher risk of breast cancer.

Accuracy of Self-Reported Physical Activity Levels in Obese Adolescents

PubMed Central

Elliott, Sarah A.; Baxter, Kimberley A.; Davies, Peter S. W.; Truby, Helen

2014-01-01

Introduction. Self-reported measures of habitual physical activity rely completely on the respondent's ability to provide accurate information on their own physical activity behaviours. Our aim was to investigate if obese adolescents could accurately report their physical activity levels (PAL) using self-reported diaries. Methods. Total energy expenditure (TEE) was measured using doubly labelled water (DLW) and resting energy expenditure (REE) was measured via indirect calorimetry. Activity energy expenditure (AEE) and PAL values were derived from measured TEE and REE. Self-reported, four-day activity diaries were used to calculate daily MET values and averaged to give an estimated PAL value (ePAL). Results. Twenty-two obese adolescents, mean age 13.2 ± 1.8 years, mean BMI 31.3 ± 4.6 kg/m2, completed the study. No significant differences between mean measured and estimated PAL values were observed (1.37 ± 0.13 versus 1.40 ± 0.34, P = 0.74). Bland Altman analysis illustrated a significant relationship (r = −0.76, P < 0.05) between the two methods; thus the bias was not consistent across a range of physical activity levels, with the more inactive overreporting their physical activity. Conclusion. At an individual level, obese adolescents are unlikely to be able to provide an accurate estimation of their own activity. PMID:25247095

Physical activity affects plasma coenzyme Q10 levels differently in young and old humans.

PubMed

Del Pozo-Cruz, Jesús; Rodríguez-Bies, Elisabet; Ballesteros-Simarro, Manuel; Navas-Enamorado, Ignacio; Tung, Bui Thanh; Navas, Plácido; López-Lluch, Guillermo

2014-04-01

Coenzyme Q (Q) is a key lipidic compound for cell bioenergetics and membrane antioxidant activities. It has been shown that also has a central role in the prevention of oxidation of plasma lipoproteins. Q has been associated with the prevention of cholesterol oxidation and several aging-related diseases. However, to date no clear data on the levels of plasma Q during aging are available. We have measured the levels of plasmatic Q10 and cholesterol in young and old individuals showing different degrees of physical activity. Our results indicate that plasma Q10 levels in old people are higher that the levels found in young people. Our analysis also indicates that there is no a relationship between the degree of physical activity and Q10 levels when the general population is studied. However, very interestingly, we have found a different tendency between Q10 levels and physical activity depending on the age of individuals. In young people, higher activity correlates with lower Q10 levels in plasma whereas in older adults this ratio changes and higher activity is related to higher plasma Q10 levels and higher Q10/Chol ratios. Higher Q10 levels in plasma are related to lower lipoperoxidation and oxidized LDL levels in elderly people. Our results highlight the importance of life habits in the analysis of Q10 in plasma and indicate that the practice of physical activity at old age can improve antioxidant capacity in plasma and help to prevent cardiovascular diseases.

34 CFR 300.814 - Other State-level activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2011-07-01 2010-07-01 true Other State-level activities. 300.814 Section 300.814...) For activities at the State and local levels to meet the performance goals established by the State... CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES Preschool Grants for Children with Disabilities § 300.814 Other State-level...

Directly Observed Physical Activity Levels in Preschool Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pate, Russell R.; McIver, Kerry; Dowda, Marsha; Brown, William H.; Addy, Cheryl

2008-01-01

Background: Millions of young children attend preschools and other structured child development programs, but little is known about their physical activity levels while in those settings. The purpose of this study was to describe the physical activity levels and demographic and school-related correlates of physical activity in children attending…

Effect of Cognitive Activity Level on Duration of Post-Concussion Symptoms

PubMed Central

Brown, Naomi J.; Mannix, Rebekah C.; O’Brien, Michael J.; Gostine, David; Collins, Michael W.

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of cognitive activity level on duration of post-concussion symptoms. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of patients who presented to a Sports Concussion Clinic within 3 weeks of injury between October 2009 and July 2011. At each visit, patients completed a scale that recorded their average level of cognitive activity since the previous visit. The product of cognitive activity level and days between visits (cognitive activity-days) was calculated and divided into quartiles. Kaplan-Meier Product Limit method was used to generate curves of symptom duration based on cognitive activity level. To adjust for other possible predictors of concussion recovery, we constructed a Cox proportional hazard model with cognitive activity-days as the main predictor. RESULTS: Of the 335 patients included in the study, 62% were male, 19% reported a loss of consciousness, and 37% reported experiencing amnesia at the time of injury. The mean age of participants was 15 years (range, 8–23) and the mean number of previous concussions was 0.76; 39% of athletes had sustained a previous concussion. The mean Post-Concussion Symptom Scale score at the initial visit was 30 (SD, 26). The overall mean duration of symptoms was 43 days (SD, 53). Of all variables assessed, only total symptom burden at initial visit and cognitive activity level were independently associated with duration of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Increased cognitive activity is associated with longer recovery from concussion. This study supports the use of cognitive rest and adds to the current consensus opinion. PMID:24394679

Biological/Genetic Regulation of Physical Activity Level: Consensus from GenBioPAC.

PubMed

Lightfoot, J Timothy; DE Geus, Eco J C; Booth, Frank W; Bray, Molly S; DEN Hoed, Marcel; Kaprio, Jaakko; Kelly, Scott A; Pomp, Daniel; Saul, Michael C; Thomis, Martine A; Garland, Theodore; Bouchard, Claude

2018-04-01

Physical activity unquestionably maintains and improves health; however, physical activity levels globally are low and not rising despite all the resources devoted to this goal. Attention in both the research literature and the public policy domain has focused on social-behavioral factors; however, a growing body of literature suggests that biological determinants play a significant role in regulating physical activity levels. For instance, physical activity level, measured in various manners, has a genetic component in both humans and nonhuman animal models. This consensus article, developed as a result of an American College of Sports Medicine-sponsored round table, provides a brief review of the theoretical concepts and existing literature that supports a significant role of genetic and other biological factors in the regulation of physical activity. Future research on physical activity regulation should incorporate genetics and other biological determinants of physical activity instead of a sole reliance on social and other environmental determinants.

Time course of EEG background activity level before spontaneous awakening in infants.

PubMed

Zampi, Chiara; Fagioli, Igino; Salzarulo, Piero

2002-12-01

This research aimed to investigate the time course of the cortical activity level preceding spontaneous awakening as a function of age and state. Two groups of infants (1-4 and 9-14 weeks of age) were continuously monitored by polygraphic recording and behavioural observation during the night. The electroencephalographic (EEG) activity recorded by the C3-O1 lead was analysed through an automatic analysis method which provides, for each 30-s epoch, a single measure, time domain based, of the EEG synchronization. The EEG parameter values were computed in the 6 min preceding each awakening out of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and out of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. The EEG background activity level did not change in the minutes preceding awakening out of REM sleep. Awakening out of NREM sleep was preceded by a change of EEG activity level in the direction of higher activation with different time course according to the age. Both REM and NREM sleep results suggest that a high level of EEG activity is a prerequisite for the occurrence of a spontaneous awakening.

Comparison of doubly labeled water with respirometry at low- and high-activity levels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Westerterp, K.R.; Brouns, F.; Saris, W.H.

1988-07-01

In previous studies the doubly labeled water method for measuring energy expenditure in free-living humans has been validated against respirometry under sedentary conditions. In the present investigation, energy expenditure is measured simultaneously with doubly labeled water and respirometry at low- and high-activity levels. Over 6 days, five subjects were measured doing mainly sedentary activities like desk work; their average daily metabolic rate was 1.40 +/- 0.09 (SD) times sleeping metabolic rate. Four subjects were measured twice over 3.5 days, including 2 days with heavy bicycle ergometer work, resulting in an average daily metabolic rate of 2.61 +/- 0.25 (SD) timesmore » sleeping metabolic rate. At the low-activity level, energy expenditures from the doubly labeled water method were on the average 1.4 +/- 3.9% (SD) larger than those from respirometry. At the high-activity level, the doubly labeled water method yielded values that were 1.0 +/- 7.0% (SD) lower than those from respirometry. Results demonstrate the utility of the doubly labeled water method for the determination of energy expenditure in the range of activity levels in daily life.« less

Effects of Curricular Activity on Students' Situational Motivation and Physical Activity Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gao, Zan; Hannon, James C.; Newton, Maria; Huang, Chaoqun

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine (a) the effects of three curricular activities on students' situational motivation (intrinsic motivation [IM], identified regulation [IR], external regulation, and amotivation [AM]) and physical activity (PA) levels, and (b) the predictive strength of situational motivation to PA levels. Four hundred twelve…

THE EFFECT OF GAMBLING ACTIVITIES ON HAPPINESS LEVELS OF NURSING HOME RESIDENTS

PubMed Central

Dixon, Mark R; Nastally, Becky L; Waterman, Amber

2010-01-01

The current study evaluated the effect of participating in simulated gambling activities on happiness levels of 3 nursing home residents. A 4-component analysis was used to measure objective responses associated with happiness during baseline, varying durations of engagement in simulated gambling activities, and 2 follow-up periods. Results indicated that all residents exhibited a higher percentage of happiness levels while engaged in simulated gambling activities compared with baseline. Follow-up assessment took place 10 min and 30 min following the intervention; no lasting effects were observed. PMID:21358915

Auto-induction for high level production of biologically active reteplase in Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Fathi-Roudsari, Mehrnoosh; Maghsoudi, Nader; Maghsoudi, Amirhossein; Niazi, Sepideh; Soleiman, Morvarid

2018-06-07

Reteplase is a third generation tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) with a modified structure and prolonged half-life in comparison to native tPA. As a non-glycosylated protein, reteplase is expressed in Escherichia coli. Due to presence of several disulfide bonds, high level production of reteplase is complicated and needs extra steps for conversion to biologically active form. Auto-induction represents a method for high-yield growth of bacterial cells and higher expression of recombinant proteins. Here we have tried to optimize the auto-induction procedure for soluble and active expression of reteplase in E. coli. Results showed that using auto-induction strategy at 37 °C, Rosetta-gami (DE3) had the highest level of active and soluble reteplase production in comparison to E. coli strains BL21 (DE3), and Shuffel T7. Temperature dominantly affected the level of active reteplase production. Decreasing the temperature to 25 and 18 °C increased the level of active reteplase by 20 and 60%, respectively. The composition of auto-induction medium also dramatically changed the active production of reteplase in cytoplasm. Using higher enriched auto-induction medium, super broth base including trace elements, significantly increased biologically active reteplase by 30%. It is demonstrated here that auto-induction is a powerful method for expression of biologically active reteplase in oxidative cytoplasm of Rosetta-gami. Optimizing expression condition by decreasing temperature and using an enriched auto-induction medium resulted in at least three times higher level of active reteplase production. Production of correctly folded and active reteplase in spite of its complex structure helps for removal of inefficient and cumbersome step of refolding. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The Contribution of Former Work-Related Activity Levels to Predict Physical Activity and Sedentary Time during Early Retirement: Moderating Role of Educational Level and Physical Functioning

PubMed Central

Van Dyck, Delfien; Cardon, Greet; Deforche, Benedicte; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse

2015-01-01

Background The transition to retirement introduces a decline in total physical activity and an increase in TV viewing time. Nonetheless, as more time becomes available, early retirement is an ideal stage to implement health interventions. Therefore, knowledge on specific determinants of physical activity and sedentary time is needed. Former work-related physical activity has been proposed as a potential determinant, but concrete evidence is lacking. The aim of this study was to examine if former work-related sitting, standing, walking or vigorous activities predict physical activity and sedentary time during early retirement. Additionally, moderating effects of educational level and physical functioning were examined. Methods In total, 392 recently retired Belgian adults (>6 months, <5 years) completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the SF-36 Health Survey and a questionnaire on sociodemographics and former work-related activities. Generalized linear regression analyses were conducted in R. Moderating effects were examined by adding cross-products to the models. Results More former work-related sitting was predictive of more screen time during retirement. Lower levels of former work-related vigorous activities and higher levels of former work-related walking were associated with respectively more cycling for transport and more walking for transport during retirement. None of the predictors significantly explained passive transportation, cycling and walking for recreation, and leisure-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during retirement. Several moderating effects were found, but the direction of the interactions was not univocal. Conclusions Former-work related behaviors are of limited importance to explain physical activity during early retirement, so future studies should focus on other individual, social and environmental determinants. Nonetheless, adults who previously had a sedentary job had higher levels of screen time during

Physical activity levels early after lung transplantation.

PubMed

Wickerson, Lisa; Mathur, Sunita; Singer, Lianne G; Brooks, Dina

2015-04-01

Little is known of the early changes in physical activity after lung transplantation. The purposes of this study were: (1) to describe physical activity levels in patients up to 6 months following lung transplantation and (2) to explore predictors of the change in physical activity in that population. This was a prospective cohort study. Physical activity (daily steps and time spent in moderate-intensity activity) was measured using an accelerometer before and after transplantation (at hospital discharge, 3 months, and 6 months). Additional functional measurements included submaximal exercise capacity (measured with the 6-Minute Walk Test), quadriceps muscle torque, and health-related quality of life (measured with the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey 36 [SF-36] and the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire). Thirty-six lung transplant recipients (18 men, 18 women; mean age=49 years, SD=14) completed posttransplant measurements. Before transplant, daily steps were less than a third of the general population. By 3 months posttransplant, the largest improvement in physical activity had occurred, and level of daily steps reached 55% of the general population. The change in daily steps (pretransplant to 3 months posttransplant) was inversely correlated with pretransplant 6-minute walk distance (r=-.48, P=.007), daily steps (r=-.36, P=.05), and SF-36 physical functioning (SF-36 PF) score (r=-.59, P=.0005). The SF-36 PF was a significant predictor of the change in physical activity, accounting for 35% of the variation in change in daily steps. Only individuals who were ambulatory prior to transplant and discharged from the hospital in less than 3 months were included in the study. Physical activity levels improve following lung transplantation, particularly in individuals with low self-reported physical functioning. However, the majority of lung transplant recipients remain sedentary between 3 to 6 months following transplant. The role of exercise

Peer Presence and Sex Differences in Motor Activity Level.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eaton, Warren O.; Keats, James G.

The hypothesis that boys are more stimulated than girls to high levels of motor activity by the presence of same-sex peers was examined by exposing preschoolers to a standardized setting under two conditions, alone and in triads. If true, the "contagion" effect would result in larger sex differences under the triad condition than under…

Camden active spaces: Does the construction of active school playgrounds influence children's physical activity levels? A longitudinal quasi-experiment protocol

PubMed Central

Smith, Lee; Kipps, Courtney; Aggio, Daniel; Fox, Paul; Robinson, Nigel; Trend, Verena; Munnery, Suzie; Kelly, Barry; Hamer, Mark

2014-01-01

Introduction Physical activity is essential for every facet of children's health. However, physical activity levels in British children are low. The school environment is a promising setting to increase children's physical activity but limited empirical evidence exists on how a change in the outdoor physical school environment influences physical activity behaviour. The London Borough of Camden is redesigning seven existing school playgrounds to engage children to become more physically active. The primary aim of this project is to evaluate the impact of the redesigned playgrounds on children's physical activity, well-being and physical function/fitness. Method and analysis This project will use a longitudinal quasi-experimental design. Seven experimental schools and one control school will take part. One baseline data collection session and two follow-ups will be carried out. Between baseline and follow-up, the experimental school playgrounds will be redesigned. At baseline, a series of fitness tests, anthropometric and questionnaire measurements, and 7-day objective physical activity monitoring (Actigraph accelerometer) will be carried out on children (aged 5–16 years). This will be repeated at follow-up. Changes in overall physical activity levels and levels during different times of the day (eg, school breaks) will be examined. Multilevel regression modelling will be used to analyse the data. Ethics and dissemination The results of this study will be disseminated through peer-review publications and scientific presentations. Ethical approval was obtained through the University College London Research Ethics Committee (Reference number: 4400/002). PMID:25232566

Camden active spaces: does the construction of active school playgrounds influence children's physical activity levels? A longitudinal quasi-experiment protocol.

PubMed

Smith, Lee; Kipps, Courtney; Aggio, Daniel; Fox, Paul; Robinson, Nigel; Trend, Verena; Munnery, Suzie; Kelly, Barry; Hamer, Mark

2014-01-01

Physical activity is essential for every facet of children's health. However, physical activity levels in British children are low. The school environment is a promising setting to increase children's physical activity but limited empirical evidence exists on how a change in the outdoor physical school environment influences physical activity behaviour. The London Borough of Camden is redesigning seven existing school playgrounds to engage children to become more physically active. The primary aim of this project is to evaluate the impact of the redesigned playgrounds on children's physical activity, well-being and physical function/fitness. This project will use a longitudinal quasi-experimental design. Seven experimental schools and one control school will take part. One baseline data collection session and two follow-ups will be carried out. Between baseline and follow-up, the experimental school playgrounds will be redesigned. At baseline, a series of fitness tests, anthropometric and questionnaire measurements, and 7-day objective physical activity monitoring (Actigraph accelerometer) will be carried out on children (aged 5–16 years). This will be repeated at follow-up. Changes in overall physical activity levels and levels during different times of the day (eg, school breaks) will be examined. Multilevel regression modelling will be used to analyse the data. The results of this study will be disseminated through peer-review publications and scientific presentations. Ethical approval was obtained through the University College London Research Ethics Committee (Reference number: 4400/002).

Activation of β-adrenoceptor facilitates active avoidance learning through enhancement of glutamate levels in the hippocampal dentate gyrus.

PubMed

Lv, Jing; Feng, Hao; Chen, Ling; Wang, Wei-Yao; Yue, Xue-Ling; Jin, Qing-Hua

2017-10-18

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is widely accepted as the best studied model for neurophysiological mechanisms that could underlie learning and memory formation. Despite a number of studies indicating that β-adrenoceptors in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) is involved in the modulation of learning and memory as well as LTP, few studies have used glutamate release as a visual indicator in awake animals to explore the role of β-adrenoceptors in learning-dependent LTP. Therefore, in the present study, the effects of propranolol (an antagonist of β-adrenoceptor) and isoproterenol (an agonist of β-adrenoceptor) on extracellular concentrations of glutamate and amplitudes of field excitatory postsynaptic potential were measured in the DG region during active avoidance learning in freely moving conscious rats. In the control group, the glutamate level in the DG was significantly increased during the acquisition of active avoidance behavior and returned to basal level following extinction training. In propranolol group, antagonism of β-adrenoceptors in the DG significantly reduced the change in glutamate level, and the acquisition of the active avoidance behavior was significantly inhibited. In contrast, the change in glutamate level was significantly enhanced by isoproterenol, and the acquisition of the active avoidance behavior was significantly accelerated. Furthermore, in all groups, the changes in glutamate level were accompanied by corresponding changes in field excitatory postsynaptic potential amplitude and active avoidance behavior. Our results suggest that activation of β-adrenoceptors in the hippocampal DG facilitates active avoidance learning by modulations of glutamate level and synaptic efficiency in rats.

The Influence of Red Fruit Oil on Creatin Kinase Level at Maximum Physical Activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apollo Sinaga, Fajar; Hotliber Purba, Pangondian

2018-03-01

Heavy physical activities can cause the oxidative stress which resulting in muscle damage with an indicator of elevated levels of Creatin Kinase (CK) enzyme. The oxidative stress can be prevented or reduced by antioxidant supplementation. One of natural resources which contain antioxidant is Red Fruit (Pandanus conoideus) Oil (RFO). This study aims to see the effect of Red Fruit Oil on Creatin Kinase (CK) level at maximum physical activity. This study is an experimental research by using the design of randomized control group pretest-posttest. This study was using 24 male mice divided into four groups, the control group was given aquadest, the treatment groups P1, P2, and P3 were given the RFO orally of 0.15 ml/kgBW, 0.3 ml/kgBW, and 0.6 ml/kgBW, respectively, for a month. The level of CK was checked for all groups at the beginning of study and after the maximum physical activity. The obtained data were then tested statistically by using t-test and ANOVA. The result shows the RFO supplementation during exercise decreased the CK level in P1, P2, and P3 groups with p<0.05, and the higher RFO dosage resulted in decreased CK level at p<0.05. The conclusion of this study is the Red Fruit Oil could decrease the level of CK at maximum physical activity.

Physical Activity Levels during Adventure-Physical Education Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gehris, Jeffrey; Myers, Elizabeth; Whitaker, Robert

2012-01-01

Adventure-physical education has been proposed to promote adolescents' physical development, but little is known about physical activity levels during such lessons. Using the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time, we observed students' (ages 11-14 years) physical activity levels in co-educational classes during 43 adventure-physical…

Does arthroscopic rotator cuff repair improve patients' activity levels?

PubMed

Baumgarten, Keith M; Chang, Peter S; Dannenbring, Tasha M; Foley, Elaine K

2018-06-04

Rotator cuff repair decreases pain, improves range of motion, and increases strength. Whether these improvements translate to an improvement in a patient's activity level postoperatively remains unknown. The Shoulder Activity Level is a valid and reliable outcomes survey that can be used to measure a patient's shoulder-specific activity level. Currently, there are no studies that examine the effect of rotator cuff repair on shoulder activity level. Preoperative patient-determined outcomes scores collected prospectively on patients undergoing rotator cuff repair were compared with postoperative scores at a minimum of 2 years. These scores included the Shoulder Activity Level, Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation, and simple shoulder test. Inclusion criteria were patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Included were 281 shoulders from 273 patients with a mean follow-up of 3.7 years. The postoperative median Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index (42 vs. 94), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (41 vs. 95), Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (30 vs. 95), and simple shoulder test (4 vs. 11) scores were statistically significantly improved compared with preoperative scores (P < .0001). The postoperative median Shoulder Activity Level score decreased compared with the preoperative score (12 vs. 11; P < .0001). Patients reported a statistically significant deterioration of their Shoulder Activity Level score after rotator cuff repair compared with their preoperative scores, although disease-specific and joint-specific quality of life scores all had statistically significantly improvement. This study suggests that patients generally have (1) significant improvements in their quality of life and (2) small deteriorations in activity level after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Copyright © 2018 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of

N-acetyltransferase 2 activity and folate levels

PubMed Central

Cao, Wen; Strnatka, Diana; McQueen, Charlene A.; Hunter, Robert J.; Erickson, Robert P.

2010-01-01

Aims To determine whether increased N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity might have a toxic effect during development and an influence on folate levels since previous work has shown that only low levels of exogenous NAT can be achieved in constitutionally transgenic mice (Cao, et al, 2005) Main Methods A human NAT1 tet-inducible construct was used that would not be expressed until the inducer was delivered. Human NAT1 cDNA was cloned into pTRE2 and injected into mouse oocytes. Two transgenic lines were crossed to mouse line TgN(rtTahCMV)4Uh containing the CMV promoted “teton.”Measurements of red blood cell folate levels in inbred strains of mice were performed. Key findings Only low levels of human NAT1 could be achieved in kidney (highly responsive in other studies) whether the inducer, doxycycline, was given by gavage or in drinking water.An inverse correlation of folate levels with Nat2 enzyme activity was found. Significance Since increasing NAT1 activity decrease folate in at least one tissue, the detrimental effect of expression of human NAT1 in combination with endogenous mouse Nat2 may be a consequence of increased catabolism of folate. PMID:19932120

Salivary Platelet Activating Factor Levels in Periodontal Disease

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-01

Factor Levels in Periodontal Disease 6. AUTHOR(S) Martha L. Garito, Major 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATO;N...ABSTRACT 98 0801 SALIVARY PLATELET ACTIVATING FACTOR LEVELS IN PERIODONTAL DISEASE A THESIS Presented to the Faculty of The University of Texas Graduate...B.S., D.M.D. San Antonio, Texas May 1991 SALIVARY PLATELET ACTIVATING FACTOR LEVELS IN PERIODONTAL DISEASE Martha Laura Gar’to APPROVED: - Supervising

Physical activity levels in the treatment of juvenile fibromyalgia.

PubMed

Sherry, David D

2013-01-01

Physical activity is paramount in the treatment of juvenile fibromyalgia, although some interventions use indirect methods to increase activity levels rather than address physical dysfunction head-on. New research explores the effects of a psychotherapeutic approach on levels of physical activity in adolescents with fibromyalgia.

Cardiovascular effects of variations in habitual levels of physical activity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blomqvist, C. G.; Mitchell, J. H.

1975-01-01

Mechanisms involved in human cardiovascular adaption to stress, particularly adaption to different levels of physical activity are determined along with quantitative noninvasive methods for evaluation of cardiovascular function during stess in normal subjects and in individuals with latent or manifest cardiovascular disease. Results are summarized.

Physical Activity Level and Symptom Duration Are Not Associated After Concussion.

PubMed

Howell, David R; Mannix, Rebekah C; Quinn, Bridget; Taylor, J Andrew; Tan, Can Ozan; Meehan, William P

2016-04-01

Physical rest after a concussion has been described as a key component in the management of the injury. Evidence supporting this recommendation, however, is limited. To examine the association between physical activity and symptom duration in a cohort of patients after a concussion. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. This study included 364 patients who were diagnosed with a concussion, were seen by a physician within 3 weeks of injury, and completed a questionnaire at the initial clinic visit. The questionnaire assessed the postconcussion symptom scale (PCSS) score, previous number of concussions, presence of the loss of consciousness or amnesia at the time of injury, and prior treatment for headaches. During each follow-up clinic visit, physical activity level was self-reported. A Cox proportional hazard model was constructed to determine the association between symptom duration, initial clinic visit responses, and self-reported physical activity level after the injury. Study participants ranged in age from 8 to 27 years (mean age, 15.0 years) and had sustained a mean of 0.8 prior concussions; 222 patients (61%) were male. On initial examination, the mean PCSS score was 34.7. The mean symptom duration was 48.9 days after the injury. Among the variables included in the model, initial PCSS score and female sex were independently associated with symptom duration, while physical activity level after the injury was not. For participants aged between 13 and 18 years, however, higher levels of physical activity after the injury were associated with a shorter symptom duration. Results from this study indicate that physical activity after the injury may not be universally detrimental to the recovery of concussion symptoms. © 2016 The Author(s).

"Exercise Dependence"--A Problem or Natural Result of High Activity?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phelan, Suzanne; Bond, Dale S.; Lang, Wei; Jordan, Dustin; Wing, Rena R.

2011-01-01

Objectives: To compare physical activity (PA) and exercise dependence (ED) in 267 weight-loss maintainers (WLM) and 213 normal-weight (NW) controls. Methods: PA and ED assessed via accelerometery and the Exercise Dependence Questionnaire. Results: WLM had higher PA levels and ED scores than those of NW (P less than 0.0001). WLM status (P = 0.006)…

Evidence that elevated CO2 levels can indirectly increase rhizosphere denitrifier activity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smart, D. R.; Ritchie, K.; Stark, J. M.; Bugbee, B.

1997-01-01

We examined the influence of elevated CO2 concentration on denitrifier enzyme activity in wheat rhizoplanes by using controlled environments and solution culture techniques. Potential denitrification activity was from 3 to 24 times higher on roots that were grown under an elevated CO2 concentration of 1,000 micromoles of CO2 mol-1 than on roots grown under ambient levels of CO2. Nitrogen loss, as determined by a nitrogen mass balance, increased with elevated CO2 levels in the shoot environment and with a high NO3- concentration in the rooting zone. These results indicated that aerial CO2 concentration can play a role in rhizosphere denitrifier activity.

Activity and circadian rhythm influence synaptic Shank3 protein levels in mice.

PubMed

Sarowar, Tasnuva; Chhabra, Resham; Vilella, Antonietta; Boeckers, Tobias M; Zoli, Michele; Grabrucker, Andreas M

2016-09-01

Various recent studies revealed that the proteins of the Shank family act as major scaffold organizing elements in the post-synaptic density of excitatory synapses and that their expression level is able to influence synapse formation, maturation and ultimately brain plasticity. An imbalance in Shank3 protein levels has been associated with a variety of neuropsychological and neurodegenerative disorders including autism spectrum disorders and Phelan-McDermid syndrome. Given that sleep disorders and low melatonin levels are frequently observed in autism spectrum disorders, and that circadian rhythms may be able to modulate Shank3 signaling and thereby synaptic function, here, we performed in vivo studies on CBA mice using protein biochemistry to investigate the synaptic expression levels of Shank3α during the day in different brain regions. Our results show that synaptic Shank3 protein concentrations exhibit minor oscillations during the day in hippocampal and striatal brain regions that correlate with changes in serum melatonin levels. Furthermore, as circadian rhythms are tightly connected to activity levels in mice, we increased physical activity using running wheels. The expression of Shank3α increases rapidly by induced activity in thalamus and cortex, but decreases in striatum, superimposing the circadian rhythms of different brain regions. We conclude that synaptic Shank3 proteins build highly dynamic platforms that are modulated by the light:dark cycles but even more so driven by activity. Using wild-type CBA mice, we show that Shank3 is a highly dynamic and activity-regulated protein at synapses. In the hippocampus, changes in synaptic Shank3 levels are influenced by circadian rhythm/melatonin concentration, while running activity increases and decreases levels of Shank3 in the cortex and striatum respectively. © 2016 International Society for Neurochemistry.

Arginase activity and nitric oxide levels in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

PubMed Central

Yüksel, Meral; Okur, Hacer Kuzu; Pelin, Zerrin; Öğünç, Ayliz Velioğlu; Öztürk, Levent

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is characterized by repetitive obstruction of the upper airways, and it is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. There have been several studies demonstrating low levels of nitric oxide in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome compared with healthy controls. In this study, we hypothesized that reduced nitric oxide levels would result in high arginase activity. Arginase reacts with L-arginine and produces urea and L-ornithine, whereas L-arginine is a substrate for nitric oxide synthase, which produces nitric oxide. METHODS: The study group consisted of 51 obstructive sleep apnea syndrome patients (M/F: 43/8; mean age 49±10 years of age) and 15 healthy control subjects (M/F: 13/3; mean age 46±14 years of age). Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome patients were divided into two subgroups based on the presence or absence of cardiovascular disease. Nitric oxide levels and arginase activity were measured via an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of serum samples. RESULTS: Serum nitric oxide levels in the control subjects were higher than in the obstructive sleep apnea patients with and without cardiovascular diseases (p<0.05). Arginase activity was significantly higher (p<0.01) in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome patients without cardiovascular diseases compared with the control group. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome patients with cardiovascular diseases had higher arginase activity than the controls (p<0.001) and the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome patients without cardiovascular diseases (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Low nitric oxide levels are associated with high arginase activity. The mechanism of nitric oxide depletion in sleep apnea patients suggests that increased arginase activity might reduce the substrate availability of nitric oxide synthase and thus could reduce nitric oxide levels. PMID:24714832

Physical activity levels and participation in sport in Irish people with haemophilia.

PubMed

Sherlock, E; O'Donnell, J S; White, B; Blake, C

2010-01-01

Physical activity and sport are associated with a range of health and social benefits. The aim of this study was to assess the level of sports participation and physical activity of Irish people with haemophilia (PWH). A questionnaire was administered to Irish PWH attending the National Centre for Hereditary Coagulation Disorders over a 3-month period. This included the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the Haemophilia Activities List (HAL). Comparisons with EU average data from European Physical Activity Surveillance System for physical activity scores (IPAQ) were made using independent t-tests and percentage variance. Relationships between age, functional limitation (based on HAL) and IPAQ scores were tested with Pearson's correlation. Sixty-one questionnaires were completed, representing 12% of the Irish haemophilia population. Age ranged from 16 to 63; all levels of severity were included. Forty-six percent of Irish PWH achieved a high level of physical activity, but overall physical activity [total metabolic equivalents of task (MET) min] in the group was only 66% of the EU average. Elderly patients and those with more functional limitations (with lower HAL scores) were significantly less active. Sports participation levels were in line with other PWH at 66%. Although 55% reported bleeds resulting from sport and 31% reported having had a significant injury attributable to sport, overall sport was viewed in a positive light. Irish PWH are physically active and play a wide range of sports. Further efforts are needed to achieve optimal safety and to ensure that maximum benefit is gained.

Are Preschool Children Active Enough? Objectively Measured Physical Activity Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cardon, Greet M.; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse M. M.

2008-01-01

The present study aimed to describe accelerometer-based physical activity levels in 4- and 5-year-old children (N = 76) on 2 weekdays and 2 weekend days. The children were sedentary for 9.6 hr (85%) daily, while they engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) for 34 min (5%). Only 7% of the children engaged in MVPA for 60 min per…

Levels of physical activity among a nationally representative sample of people in early old age: results of objective and self-reported assessments

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Detailed assessment of physical activity (PA) in older adults is required to comprehensively describe habitual PA-levels in this growing population segment. Current evidence of population PA-levels is predominantly based on self-report. Methods We examined PA and sedentary behaviour in a nationally representative sample of British people aged 60–64, using individually-calibrated combined heart-rate and movement sensing and a validated questionnaire (EPAQ2), and the socio-demographic and behavioural factors that may explain between-individual variation in PA. Results Between 2006–2010, 2224 participants completed EPAQ2 capturing the past year’s activity in four domains (leisure, work, transportation and domestic life) and 1787 participants provided 2–5 days of combined-sensing data. According to objective estimates, median(IQR) physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) was 33.5 (25.3-42.2) and 35.5 (26.6- 47.3) kJ/kg/day for women and men, respectively. Median (IQR) time spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA; >3MET), light-intensity PA (1.5-3 MET) and sedentary (<1.5 MET) was 26.0 (12.3-48.1) min/day, 5.4 (4.2-6.7) h/day and 18.0 (16.6-19.4) h/day, respectively, in women; and 41.0 (18.8-73.0) min/day, 5.2 (4.0-6.5) h/day and 17.9 (16.3-19.4) h/day in men. PAEE and time spent in MVPA were lower and sedentary time was greater in obese individuals, those with poor health, and those with lower educational attainment (women only). Questionnaire-derived PAEE and MVPA tended to have similar patterns of variation across socio-demographic strata. In the whole sample, domestic PA had the greatest relative contribution to total questionnaire-derived PAEE (58%), whereas occupational PA was the main driver among employed participants (54%). Only 2.2% of participants achieved an average of >30 min MVPA per day combined with >60 min strength-training per week. Conclusions The use of both self-report and objective monitoring to assess PA in early old age

Towards a new paradigm: Activity level balanced sustainability reporting.

PubMed

Samudhram, Ananda; Siew, Eu-Gene; Sinnakkannu, Jothee; Yeow, Paul H P

2016-11-01

Technoeconomic paradigms based economic growth theories suggest that waves of technological innovations drove the economic growth of advanced economies. Widespread economic degradation and pollution is an unintended consequence of such growth. Tackling environmental and social issues at firm levels would help us to overcome such issues at macro-levels. Consequently, the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) reporting approach promotes firm level economic, environmental and social performances. Incorporating Zink's (2014) 3-pillar presentation model, this paper indicates that economic, social and environmental performances tend to be reported at firm level. All three pillars are not covered evenly at the activity levels. Thus, a loophole is identified whereby excellent environmental performance at activity levels could potentially leave poor social performance undisclosed. A refinement of the TBL paradigm, whereby all three pillars are covered at the activity level, is suggested, to enhance sustainability reporting. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A visual grading study for different administered activity levels in bone scintigraphy.

PubMed

Gustafsson, Agnetha; Karlsson, Henrik; Nilsson, Kerstin A; Geijer, Håkan; Olsson, Anna

2015-05-01

The aim of the study is to assess the administered activity levels versus visual-based image quality using visual grading regression (VGR) including an assessment of the newly stated image criteria for whole-body bone scintigraphy. A total of 90 patients was included and grouped in three levels of administered activity: 400, 500 and 600 MBq. Six clinical image criteria regarding image quality was formulated by experienced nuclear medicine physicians. Visual grading was performed in all images, where three physicians rated the fulfilment of the image criteria on a four-step ordinal scale. The results were analysed using VGR. A count analysis was also made where the total number of counts in both views was registered. The administered activity of 600 MBq gives significantly better image quality than 400 MBq in five of six criteria (P<0·05). Comparing the administered activity of 600 MBq to 500 MBq, four criteria of six show significantly better image quality (P<0·05). The administered activity of 500 MBq gives no significantly better image quality than 400 Mbq (P<0·05). The count analysis shows that none of the three levels of administrated activity fulfil the recommendations by the EANM. There was a significant improvement in perceived image quality using an activity level of 600 MBq compared to lower activity levels in whole-body bone scintigraphy for the gamma camera equipment end set-up used in this study. This type of visual-based grading study seems to be a valuable tool and easy to implement in the clinical environment. © 2014 Scandinavian Society of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Environmental noise levels affect the activity budget of the Florida manatee

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miksis-Olds, Jennifer L.; Donaghay, Percy L.; Miller, James H.; Tyack, Peter L.

2005-09-01

Manatees inhabit coastal bays, lagoons, and estuaries because they are dependent on the aquatic vegetation that grows in shallow waters. Food requirements force manatees to occupy the same areas in which human activities are the greatest. Noise produced from human activities has the potential to affect these animals by eliciting responses ranging from mild behavioral changes to extreme aversion. This study quantifies the behavioral responses of manatees to both changing levels of ambient noise and transient noise sources. Results indicate that elevated environmental noise levels do affect the overall activity budget of this species. The proportion of time manatees spend feeding, milling, and traveling in critical habitats changed as a function of noise level. More time was spent in the directed, goal-oriented behaviors of feeding and traveling, while less time was spent milling when noise levels were highest. The animals also responded to the transient noise of approaching vessels with changes in behavioral state and movements out of the geographical area. This suggests that manatees detect and respond to changes in environmental noise levels. Whether these changes legally constitute harassment and produce biologically significant effects need to be addressed with hypothesis-driven experiments and long-term monitoring. [For Animal Bioacoustics Best Student Paper Award.

Differences in leisure-time activities according to level of physical activity in adolescents.

PubMed

Mota, Jorge; Santos, Maria Paula; Ribeiro, Jose Carlos

2008-03-01

The main goals of this study were: (1) to examine the relationship between physical activity (PA) involvement and other leisure activities in a sample of Portuguese youth and (2) to analyze gender differences in PA and leisure-time activity structure. The sample comprised 1123 adolescents that were classified according to PA levels as active (n = 589) and nonactive (n = 534). A questionnaire assessing leisure-time activities was used. Girls were significantly more engaged in social leisure, dutiful, and individual artistic activities during leisure time, whereas boys were more involved in sports and computer and TV viewing activities. Significant associations between PA and social leisure were found in girls (r = .18, P < or = .001) and boys (r = .13, P < or = .01) after adjustment for age. The same was found between level of PA and sports engagement during leisure (girls: r = .56, P < or = .001; boys: r = .51, P < or = .001). In girls (r = .10, P < or = .05), but not in boys, a statistically significant association was found between PA and individual artistic activities. This study has certain implications for health-related PA promotion efforts. Our data give additional reinforcement to the importance of organized and nonorganized sports/PA during leisure time for overall levels of PA in adolescents.

Endocannabinoid and Mood Responses to Exercise in Adults with Varying Activity Levels.

PubMed

Brellenthin, Angelique G; Crombie, Kevin M; Hillard, Cecilia J; Koltyn, Kelli F

2017-08-01

Acute aerobic exercise improves mood and activates the endocannabinoid (eCB) system in physically active individuals; however, both mood and eCB responses to exercise may vary based on habitual levels of physical activity. This study aimed to examine eCB and mood responses to prescribed and preferred exercises among individuals with low, moderate, and high levels of physical activity. Thirty-six healthy adults (21 ± 4 yr) were recruited from low (≤60 min moderate-vigorous physical activity [MVPA] per week), moderate (150-299 min MVPA per week), and high (≥300 MVPA per week) physical activity groups. Participants performed both prescribed (approximately 70%-75% max) and preferred (i.e., self-selected) aerobic exercise on separate days. Mood states and eCB concentrations were assessed before and after exercise conditions. Both preferred and prescribed exercise resulted in significant increases (P < 0.01) in circulating eCB (N-arachidonoylethanolamine [AEA] and 2-arachidonoylglycerol); however, increases in AEA (P < 0.05) were larger in the prescribed condition. Likewise, both preferred and prescribed exercise elicited positive mood improvements compared with preexercise values, but changes in state anxiety, total mood disturbance, and confusion were greater in the preferred condition (P < 0.05). Changes in 2-arachidonoylglycerol concentrations were found to negatively correlate with changes in depression, tension, and total mood disturbance in the preferred condition (P < 0.05), and changes in AEA were positively associated with changes in vigor in the prescribed condition (P < 0.05). There were no significant group differences for mood or eCB outcomes. These results indicate that eCB and mood responses to exercise do not differ significantly between samples with varying physical activity levels. This study also demonstrates that in addition to prescribed exercise, preferred exercise activates the eCB system, and this activation may contribute to positive mood

Physical Activity Levels and Well-Being in Older Adults.

PubMed

Bae, Wonyul; Ik Suh, Young; Ryu, Jungsu; Heo, Jinmoo

2017-04-01

The objective of this study was to identify the interconnectedness of different intensity levels of physical activity and psychological (life satisfaction and positive affect) and physical (physical health) well-being. Participants were from the National Study of Midlife in the United States with assessments in 2004 and aged 25 to 74 living in the United States were included in the analyses. We conducted bivariate correlations to examine significant relationships among the study variables. In addition, after multicollinearity among the independent variable was checked, a series of hierarchical regression analyses with physical health, positive affect, and life satisfaction as criterion variables were conducted. The results showed that light physical activities were positively associated with physical health and life satisfaction in summer, whereas light physical activities and all dependent variables were positively correlated in winter. Furthermore, engaging in moderate physical activities was positively related only with physical health. Meanwhile, vigorous physical activities were not associated with life satisfaction, physical health, and positive affect in summer and winter.

Accelerometer-determined physical activity level among government employees in Penang, Malaysia.

PubMed

Hazizi, A S; Aina, Mardiah B; Mohd, Nasir M T; Zaitun, Y; Hamid, Jan J M; Tabata, I

2012-04-01

A cross-sectional study was carried out to investigate accelerometer-determined physical activity level of 233 Malay government employees (104 men, 129 women) working in the Federal Government Building Penang, Malaysia. Body weight, height, waist and hip circumference, body fat percentage and blood pressure were measured for each respondent. All the respondents were asked to wear an accelerometer for 3 days. Body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio (WHR) were calculated using a standard formulas. Fasting blood sample was obtained to determine the lipid profile and glucose levels of the respondents. Based on the accelerometer-determined physical activity level, almost 65% of the respondents were categorised as sedentary. Approximately 50.2% of the respondents were overweight or obese. There were negative but significant relationships between body mass index (BMI) (r = -0.353, p < 0.05), body fat percentage (r = -0.394, p < 0.05), waist circumference (WC) (r = -0.198, p < 0.05) and physical activity level. Sedentary individuals had a higher risk than moderate to active individuals of having a BMI more than or equal to 25 kg/m2 (OR = 2.80, 95% CI 1.55-5.05), an-risk classified WC (OR = 1.79, 95% CI 1.01-3.20), and a body fat percentage classified as unhealthy (OR = 3.01, 95% CI 1.41-6.44). The results of this study suggest that accelerometer-determined physical activity level is a significant factor associated with obesity in this study. The high prevalence of physical inactivity and obesity found among respondents of this study indicate a need for implementing intervention programmes among this population.

Correlation of Level of Trauma Activation With Emergency Department Intervention.

PubMed

Cooper, Michael C; Srivastava, Geetanjali

2018-06-01

In-hospital trauma team activation criteria are formulated to identify severely injured patients requiring specialized multidisciplinary care. Efficacy of trauma activation (TA) criteria is commonly measured by emergency department (ED) disposition, injury severity score, and mortality. Necessity of critical ED interventions is another measure that has been proposed to evaluate the appropriateness of TA criteria. Two-year retrospective cohort study of 1715 patients from our trauma registry at a Level 1 pediatric trauma center. We abstracted data on acute interventions, level and criterion of TA, ED disposition, and mortality. We report odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), positive predictive value, and frequency of acute interventions. Trauma activation was initiated for 947 (55%) of the 1715 patients. There were 426 ED interventions performed on 235 patients (14%); 67.8% were in level 1 activations; 17.6% in level 2, and 14.6% in level 3. Highest-level activations were highly associated with need for ED interventions (OR, 16.1; 95% CI, 11.5-22.4). The ORs for requiring an ED intervention were low for lower level activations (OR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.3-0.5), trauma service consults (OR, 0.3; 95% CI, 0.2-0.4), and certain mechanism-based criteria. The ORs for ED intervention for isolated motor vehicle collision (0.2; 95% CI, 0.1-0.7), isolated all-terrain vehicle rollover (0.4; 95% CI, 0.1-1.7), and suspected spinal cord injury (0.5; 95% CI, 0.1-3.7) were significantly lower than 1. Highest-level activation criteria correlate with high utilization of ED resources and interventions. Lower level activation criteria and trauma service consult criteria are not highly correlated with need for ED interventions. Downgrading isolated motor vehicle collision and all-terrain vehicle rollovers and suspected spinal cord injury to lower level activations could decrease the overtriage rate, and adding age-specific bradycardia as a physiologic criterion could improve our

Cooking techniques improve the levels of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity in kale and red cabbage.

PubMed

Murador, Daniella Carisa; Mercadante, Adriana Zerlotti; de Rosso, Veridiana Vera

2016-04-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of different home cooking techniques (boiling, steaming, and stir-frying) in kale and red cabbage, on the levels of bioactive compounds (carotenoids, anthocyanins and phenolic compounds) determined by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array and mass spectrometry detectors (HPLC-DAD-MS(n)), and on the antioxidant activity evaluated by ABTS, ORAC and cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) assays. The steaming technique resulted in a significant increase in phenolic content in kale (86.1%; p<0.001) whereas in red cabbage it was significantly reduced (34.6%; p<0.001). In the kale, steaming resulted in significant increases in antioxidant activity levels in all of the evaluation methods. In the red cabbage, boiling resulted in a significant increase in antioxidant activity using the ABTS assay but resulted in a significant decrease using the ORAC assay. According to the CAA assay, the stir-fried sample displayed the highest levels of antioxidant activity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving the fitness and physical activity levels of primary school children: results of the Fit-4-Fun group randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Eather, Narelle; Morgan, Philip J; Lubans, David R

2013-01-01

To evaluate the impact of a multi-component school-based physical activity intervention (Fit-4-Fun) on health-related fitness and objectively measured physical activity in primary school children. Four Hunter primary schools were recruited in April, 2011 and randomized by school into treatment or control conditions. Participants included 213 children (mean age = 10.72 years ± 0.6; 52.2% female) with the treatment group (n = 118) completing the 8-week Fit-4-Fun Program. Participants were assessed at baseline and 6-month follow-up, with a 91% retention rate. Cardio-respiratory fitness (CRF) (20 m shuttle run) was the primary outcome, and secondary outcomes included body composition (BMI, BMI(Z)), muscular fitness (7-stage sit-up test, push-up test, basketball throw test, Standing Jump), flexibility (sit and reach) and physical activity (7 days pedometry). After 6-months, significant treatment effects were found for CRF (adjusted mean difference, 1.14 levels, p < 0.001), body composition (BMI mean, -0.96 kg/m(2), p < 0.001 and BMI z-score mean -0.47 z-scores, p < 0.001), flexibility (sit and reach mean, 1.52 cm, p = 0.0013), muscular fitness (sit-ups) (mean 0.62 stages, p = 0.003) and physical activity (mean, 3253 steps/day, p < 0.001). There were no group by time effects for the other muscular fitness measures. A primary school-based intervention focusing on fitness education significantly improved health-related fitness and physical activity levels in children. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The ACTIVATE study: results from a group-randomized controlled trial comparing a traditional worksite health promotion program with an activated consumer program.

PubMed

Terry, Paul E; Fowles, Jinnet Briggs; Xi, Min; Harvey, Lisa

2011-01-01

PURPOSE. This study compares a traditional worksite-based health promotion program with an activated consumer program and a control program DESIGN. Group randomized controlled trial with 18-month intervention. SETTING. Two large Midwestern companies. SUBJECTS. Three hundred and twenty employees (51% response). INTERVENTION. The traditional health promotion intervention offered population-level campaigns on physical activity, nutrition, and stress management. The activated consumer intervention included population-level campaigns for evaluating health information, choosing a health benefits plan, and understanding the risks of not taking medications as prescribed. The personal development intervention (control group) offered information on hobbies. The interventions also offered individual-level coaching for high risk individuals in both active intervention groups. MEASURES. Health risk status, general health status, consumer activation, productivity, and the ability to evaluate health information. ANALYSIS. Multivariate analyses controlled for baseline differences among the study groups. RESULTS. At the population level, compared with baseline performance, the traditional health promotion intervention improved health risk status, consumer activation, and the ability to recognize reliable health websites. Compared with baseline performance, the activated consumer intervention improved consumer activation, productivity, and the ability to recognize reliable health websites. At the population level, however, only the activated consumer intervention improved any outcome more than the control group did; that outcome was consumer activation. At the individual level for high risk individuals, both traditional health coaching and activated consumer coaching positively affected health risk status and consumer activation. In addition, both coaching interventions improved participant ability to recognize a reliable health website. Consumer activation coaching also

Associations of Affective Responses During Free-Living Physical Activity and Future Physical Activity Levels: an Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.

PubMed

Liao, Yue; Chou, Chih-Ping; Huh, Jimi; Leventhal, Adam; Dunton, Genevieve

2017-08-01

Affective response during physical activity may influence motivation to perform future physical activity behavior. However, affective response during physical activity is often assessed under controlled laboratory conditions. The current study used ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to capture affective responses during free-living physical activity performed by adults, and determined whether these affective responses predict future moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) levels after 6 and 12 months. At baseline, electronic EMA surveys were randomly prompted across 4 days asking about current activities and affective states (e.g., happy, stressed, energetic, tired). Affective response during physical activity was operationalized as the level of positive or negative affect reported when concurrent physical activity (e.g., exercise or sports) was also reported. Data were available for 82 adults. Future levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were measured using accelerometers, worn for seven consecutive days at 6 and 12 months after the baseline assessment. Feeling more energetic during physical activity was associated with performing more minutes of daily MVPA after both 6 and 12 months. Feeling less negative affect during physical activity was associated with engaging in more daily MVPA minutes after 12 months only. This study demonstrated how EMA can be used to capture affective responses during free-living physical activity. Results found that feelings more energetic and less negative during physical activity were associated with more future physical activity, suggesting that positive emotional benefits may reinforce behavior.

Physical activity levels in Portuguese adolescents: A 10-year trend analysis (2006-2016).

PubMed

Fernandes, Helder Miguel

2018-02-01

Previous studies have indicated that only a small proportion of Portuguese adolescents attain sufficient levels of physical activity for health. However, it is unknown whether the levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) have changed over a considerable time period in this country. Therefore, the aims of the present study were to examine the 10-year trend changes in self-reported MVPA among adolescents and also investigate differences by sex and age. This study compared two cross-sectional cohorts of youngsters aged 12-18 years, recruited in 2006 (N=1010; 461 boys and 549 girls) and in 2016 (N=1096; 461 boys and 635 girls), using identical procedures and instruments. The outcome variable, MVPA, was assessed by using the PACE+ screening measure. Main results showed a considerable decline in the overall levels of physical activity between 2006 and 2016 (-10.8%), as well as a small and declining proportion of adolescents achieving the international physical activity recommendations (2006: 10.7%; 2016: 8.1%). Age and sex-specific comparisons by time periods indicated that the 13- and 14-year-old male adolescents reported lower levels of MVPA in 2016 than their counterparts in 2006, and that the MVPA decline between the subgroups of 12- and 18-year-olds was higher in girls, in both 2006 and 2016. This study provides evidence of a secular decrease in self-reported MVPA levels among Portuguese adolescents. These results reinforce the need for interventions and policies aimed at promoting a more active lifestyle throughout adolescence. Copyright © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determinants Affecting Physical Activity Levels In Animal Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tou, Janet C. L.; Wade, Charles E.; Dalton, Bonnie P. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Weight control is dependent on energy balance. Reduced energy expenditure (EE) associated with decreased physical activity is suggested to be a major underlying cause in the increasing prevalence of weight gain and obesity. Therefore, a better understanding of the biological determinants involved in the regulation of physical activity is essential. To facilitate interpretation in humans, it is helpful to consider the evidence from animal studies. This review focuses on animal studies examining the biological determinants influencing activity and potential implications to human. It appears that physical activity is influenced by a number of parameters. However, regardless of the parameter involved, body weight appears to play all underlying role in the regulation of activity. Furthermore, the regulation of activity associated with body weight appears to occur only after the animal achieves a critical weight. This suggests that activity levels are a consequence rather than a contributor to weight control. However, the existence of an inverse weight-activity relationship remains inconclusive. Confounding the results are the multi-factorial nature of physical activity and the lack of appropriate measuring devices. Furthermore, many determinants of body weight are closely interlocked making it difficult to determine whether a single, combination or interaction of factors is important for the regulation of activity. For example, diet-induced obesity, aging, lesions to tile ventral medial hypothalamus and genetics all produce hypoactivity. Providing a better understanding of the biological determinants involved in the regulation of activity has important implications for the development of strategies for the prevention of weight gain leading to obesity and subsequent morbidity and mortality in the human population.

Determinants affecting physical activity levels in animal models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tou, Janet C L.; Wade, Charles E.

2002-01-01

Weight control is dependent on energy balance. Reduced energy expenditure (EE) associated with decreased physical activity is suggested to be a major underlying cause in the increasing prevalence of weight gain and obesity. Therefore, a better understanding of the biological determinants involved in the regulation of physical activity is essential. To facilitate interpretation in humans, it is helpful to consider the evidence from animal studies. This review focuses on animal studies examining the biological determinants influencing activity and potential implications to human. It appears that physical activity is influenced by a number of parameters. However, regardless of the parameter involved, body weight appears to play an underlying role in the regulation of activity. Furthermore, the regulation of activity associated with body weight appears to occur only after the animal achieves a critical weight. This suggests that activity levels are a consequence rather than a contributor to weight control. However, the existence of an inverse weight-activity relationship remains inconclusive. Confounding the results are the multifactorial nature of physical activity and the lack of appropriate measuring devices. Furthermore, many determinants of body weight are closely interlocked, making it difficult to determine whether a single, combination, or interaction of factors is important for the regulation of activity. For example, diet-induced obesity, aging, lesions to the ventral medial hypothalamus, and genetics all produce hypoactivity. Providing a better understanding of the biological determinants involved in the regulation of activity has important implications for the development of strategies for the prevention of weight gain leading to obesity and subsequent morbidity and mortality in the human population.

Locomotor activity and tissue levels following acute ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Pyrethroids produce neurotoxicity that depends, in part, on the chemical structure. Common behavioral effects include locomotor activity changes and specific toxic syndromes (types I and II). In general these neurobehavioral effects correlate well with peak internal dose metrics. Products of cyhalothrin, a type II pyrethroid, include mixtures of isomers (e.g., λ-cyhalothrin) as well as enriched active isomers (e.g., γ-cyhalothrin). We measured acute changes in locomotor activity in adult male rats and directly correlated these changes to peak brain and plasma concentrations of λ- and γ-cyhalothrin using a within-subject design. One-hour locomotor activity studies were conducted 1.5 h after oral gavage dosing, and immediately thereafter plasma and brains were collected for analyzing tissue levels using LC/MS/MS methods. Both isomers produced dose-related decreases in activity counts, and the effective dose range for γ-cyhalothrin was lower than for λ-cyhalothrin. Doses calculated to decrease activity by 50% were 2-fold lower for the γ-isomer (1.29 mg/kg) compared to λ-cyhalothrin (2.65 mg/kg). Salivation, typical of type II pyrethroids, was also observed at lower doses of γ-cyhalothrin. Administered dose correlated well with brain and plasma concentrations, which furthermore showed good correlations with activity changes. Brain and plasma levels were tightly correlated across doses. While γ-cyhalothrin was 2-fold more potent based on administ

Click-Evoked Auditory Efferent Activity: Rate and Level Effects.

PubMed

Boothalingam, Sriram; Kurke, Julianne; Dhar, Sumitrajit

2018-05-07

There currently are no standardized protocols to evaluate auditory efferent function in humans. Typical tests use broadband noise to activate the efferents, but only test the contralateral efferent pathway, risk activating the middle ear muscle reflex (MEMR), and are laborious for clinical use. In an attempt to develop a clinical test of bilateral auditory efferent function, we have designed a method that uses clicks to evoke efferent activity, obtain click-evoked otoacoustic emissions (CEOAEs), and monitor MEMR. This allows for near-simultaneous estimation of cochlear and efferent function. In the present study, we manipulated click level (60, 70, and 80 dB peak-equivalent sound pressure level [peSPL]) and rate (40, 50, and 62.5 Hz) to identify an optimal rate-level combination that evokes measurable efferent modulation of CEOAEs. Our findings (n = 58) demonstrate that almost all click levels and rates used caused significant inhibition of CEOAEs, with a significant interaction between level and rate effects. Predictably, bilateral activation produced greater inhibition compared to stimulating the efferents only in the ipsilateral or contralateral ear. In examining the click rate-level effects during bilateral activation in greater detail, we observed a 1-dB inhibition of CEOAE level for each 10-dB increase in click level, with rate held constant at 62.5 Hz. Similarly, a 10-Hz increase in rate produced a 0.74-dB reduction in CEOAE level, with click level held constant at 80 dB peSPL. The effect size (Cohen's d) was small for either monaural condition and medium for bilateral, faster-rate, and higher-level conditions. We were also able to reliably extract CEOAEs from efferent eliciting clicks. We conclude that clicks can indeed be profitably employed to simultaneously evaluate cochlear health using CEOAEs as well as their efferent modulation. Furthermore, using bilateral clicks allows the evaluation of both the crossed and uncrossed elements of the auditory

The Dutch heart health community intervention 'Hartslag Limburg': results of an effect study at organizational level.

PubMed

Ronda, G; Van Assema, P; Ruland, E; Steenbakkers, M; Van Ree, J; Brug, J

2005-05-01

'Hartslag Limburg', a cardiovascular diseases (CVD) prevention programme, integrates a community strategy and a high-risk strategy to reduce CVD risk behaviours. This article presents the results of the effect evaluation study of the community intervention at the organizational level. Organizational changes were an intermediate goal of the Hartslag Limburg community intervention, as these are assumed to be a prerequisite for changes at the individual level. A baseline-post-test control group design was used. The baseline measurement was conducted in 1998 and the post-test measurement in 2001. At baseline, 700 organizations were selected in the Maastricht region, and 577 in a control region. All organizations that were potentially significant agents in health-promoting activities were included. Data on organizational involvement in health-promoting activities were gathered by means of structured questionnaires, and sent to organization representatives by mail. The overall post-test percentage of organizations involved in at least one activity relating to physical activity was higher in the Maastricht region than in the control region. Furthermore, the number of activities per organization involved in activities relating to healthy eating, smoking behaviour or physical activity was higher in the Maastricht region than in the control region at post-test. This study provided valuable information about organizational involvement in health-promoting activities, as well as important information to consider in future research in this area. Due to the limitations of the study, the importance of measuring change at different social levels in community-based programmes, and the scarcity of effect studies of community interventions at the organizational level, further research on this subject is warranted.

Leisure activity associated with cognitive ability level, but not cognitive change

PubMed Central

Gow, Alan J.; Avlund, Kirsten; Mortensen, Erik L.

2014-01-01

Although activity participation is promoted as cognitively protective, critical questions of causality remain. In a cohort followed every 5 years from age 75 to 85 years, potential reciprocal associations between level and change in leisure activity participation and level and change in cognitive abilities were examined. Participants in the Glostrup 1914 Cohort, a longitudinal study of aging, completed standardized cognitive ability tests and reported their leisure activity participation (11 activities defined a leisure activity score) at ages 75, 80, and 85. Higher leisure activity was associated with higher cognitive ability (significant correlations ranged from 0.15 to 0.31, p < 0.05). Between ages 75 and 85, participation in leisure activities and cognitive ability declined significantly. Growth curve models, which provided latent variables for level of and 10-year change in both leisure activity and cognitive ability, confirmed the positive association between levels of leisure activity and cognitive ability (path coefficient = 0.36, p < 0.001); however, neither leisure activity level nor change in leisure activity were associated with cognitive change. Although a positive association between leisure activity and cognitive ability was reported—the likely precedents of this are discussed—there was no evidence that a higher level or maintenance of leisure activity was protective against cognitive decline across a 10-year follow-up. PMID:25352824

Associations between the lower esophageal sphincter function and the level of physical activity.

PubMed

Waśko-Czopnik, Dorota; Jóźków, Paweł; Dunajska, Katarzyna; Mędraś, Marek; Paradowski, Leszek

2013-01-01

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a very frequent and multifactorial disease. It has been found that GERD is associated with obesity, smoking, esophagitis, diet and lifestyle. Physical activity is among the factors involved in the occurrence of GERD. The aim of the study was to evaluate the associations between the different parameters of lower esophageal pressure (LES) and the level of everyday physical activity in patients with GERD. The authors examined 100 consecutive patients who underwent manometry and pH-metry because of symptoms suggesting GERD. Physical activity was assessed by means of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). In accordance with IPAQ categorical scoring, the authors divided the studied subjects into 3 groups according to their level of physical activity. The investigation comprised 59 men and 41 women, with the mean age 49 ± 14 years. The authors analyzed the relationships between the LES parameters (pressure, total LES length and HPZ length) and physical activity. The authors did not find any significant correlations between the studied parameters and the amount of physical activity. The authors also did not observe any association between the LES pressure and the level of physical activity. The subgroups distinguished on the basis of LESP did not differ as to the amount of everyday physical activity as well. Although most data indicates that intense exercise exacerbates GERD symptoms, the authors did not find any associations between LES parameters and physical activity. In view of the present results maintaining the recommended level of everyday physical activity does not interfere with the mechanisms of GERD.

Calpain expression in lymphoid cells. Increased mRNA and protein levels after cell activation.

PubMed

Deshpande, R V; Goust, J M; Chakrabarti, A K; Barbosa, E; Hogan, E L; Banik, N L

1995-02-10

Although calpain is ubiquitously present in human tissues and is thought to play a role in demyelination, its activity is very low in resting normal lymphocytes. To determine the nature of calpain expression at the mRNA and protein levels in human lymphoid cells, we studied human T lymphocytic, B lymphocytic, and monocytic lines as well as peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Stimulation of cells with the phorbol ester phorbol myristate acetate and the calcium ionophore A23187 resulted in increased calpain mRNA and protein expression. Calpain mRNA expression is also increased in human T cells stimulated with anti-CD3. A dissociation between the increases of RNA and protein suggested that calpain could be released from the cells; the subsequent experiments showed its presence in the extracellular environment. 5,6-Dichloro-1b-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole, a reversible inhibitor of mRNA synthesis, reduced calpain mRNA levels by 50-67% and protein levels by 72-91%. Its removal resulted in resumption of both calpain mRNA and protein synthesis. Cycloheximide, a translational inhibitor, reduced calpain protein levels by 77-81% and calpain mRNA levels by 96% in activated THP-1 cells. Interferon-gamma induced calpain mRNA and protein in U-937 and THP-1 cells. Dexamethasone increased mRNA expression in THP-1 cells. Our results indicate that activation of lymphoid cells results in de novo synthesis and secretion of calpain.

The effect of a behaviour change intervention on the diets and physical activity levels of women attending Sure Start Children’s Centres: results from a complex public health intervention

PubMed Central

Baird, Janis; Jarman, Megan; Lawrence, Wendy; Black, Christina; Davies, Jenny; Tinati, Tannaze; Begum, Rufia; Mortimore, Andrew; Robinson, Sian; Margetts, Barrie; Cooper, Cyrus; Barker, Mary; Inskip, Hazel

2014-01-01

Objectives The UK government's response to the obesity epidemic calls for action in communities to improve people's health behaviour. This study evaluated the effects of a community intervention on dietary quality and levels of physical activity of women from disadvantaged backgrounds. Design Non-randomised controlled evaluation of a complex public health intervention. Participants 527 women attending Sure Start Children's Centres (SSCC) in Southampton (intervention) and 495 women attending SSCCs in Gosport and Havant (control). Intervention Training SSCC staff in behaviour change skills that would empower women to change their health behaviours. Outcomes Main outcomes dietary quality and physical activity. Intermediate outcomes self-efficacy and sense of control. Results 1-year post-training, intervention staff used skills to support behaviour change significantly more than control staff. There were statistically significant reductions of 0.1 SD in the dietary quality of all women between baseline and follow-up and reductions in self-efficacy and sense of control. The decline in self-efficacy and control was significantly smaller in women in the intervention group than in women in the control group (adjusted differences in self-efficacy and control, respectively, 0.26 (95% CI 0.001 to 0.50) and 0.35 (0.05 to 0.65)). A lower decline in control was associated with higher levels of exposure in women in the intervention group. There was a statistically significant improvement in physical activity in the intervention group, with 22.9% of women reporting the highest level of physical activity compared with 12.4% at baseline, and a smaller improvement in the control group. The difference in change in physical activity level between the groups was not statistically significant (adjusted difference 1.02 (0.74 to 1.41)). Conclusions While the intervention did not improve women's diets and physical activity levels, it had a protective effect on intermediate factors�

Decreased glycogen synthase kinase-3 levels and activity contribute to Huntington's disease.

PubMed

Fernández-Nogales, Marta; Hernández, Félix; Miguez, Andrés; Alberch, Jordi; Ginés, Silvia; Pérez-Navarro, Esther; Lucas, José J

2015-09-01

Huntington's disease (HD) is a hereditary neurodegenerative disorder characterized by brain atrophy particularly in striatum leading to personality changes, chorea and dementia. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a serine/threonine kinase in the crossroad of many signaling pathways that is highly pleiotropic as it phosphorylates more than hundred substrates including structural, metabolic, and signaling proteins. Increased GSK-3 activity is believed to contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease and GSK-3 inhibitors have been postulated as therapeutic agents for neurodegeneration. Regarding HD, GSK-3 inhibitors have shown beneficial effects in cell and invertebrate animal models but no evident efficacy in mouse models. Intriguingly, those studies were performed without interrogating GSK-3 level and activity in HD brain. Here we aim to explore the level and also the enzymatic activity of GSK-3 in the striatum and other less affected brain regions of HD patients and of the R6/1 mouse model to then elucidate the possible contribution of its alteration to HD pathogenesis by genetic manipulation in mice. We report a dramatic decrease in GSK-3 levels and activity in striatum and cortex of HD patients with similar results in the mouse model. Correction of the GSK-3 deficit in HD mice, by combining with transgenic mice with conditional GSK-3 expression, resulted in amelioration of their brain atrophy and behavioral motor and learning deficits. Thus, our results demonstrate that decreased brain GSK-3 contributes to HD neurological phenotype and open new therapeutic opportunities based on increasing GSK-3 activity or attenuating the harmful consequences of its decrease. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Activity Levels in Healthy Older Adults: Implications for Joint Arthroplasty

PubMed Central

Thorp, Laura E.; Orozco, Diego; Block, Joel A.; Sumner, Dale R.; Wimmer, Markus A.

2012-01-01

This work evaluated activity levels in a group of healthy older adults to establish a target activity level for adults of similar age after total joint arthroplasty (TJA). With the decreasing age of TJA patients, it is essential to have a reference for activity level in younger patients as activity level affects quality of life and implant design. 54 asymptomatic, healthy older adults with no clinical evidence of lower extremity OA participated. The main outcome measure, average daily step count, was measured using an accelerometer-based activity monitor. On average the group took 8813 ± 3611 steps per day, approximately 4000 more steps per day than has been previously reported in patients following total joint arthroplasty. The present work provides a reference for activity after joint arthroplasty which is relevant given the projected number of people under the age of 65 who will undergo joint arthroplasty in the coming years. PMID:23577274

Physical activity levels among children attending family day care.

PubMed

Rice, Kelly R; Trost, Stewart G

2014-01-01

To objectively measure the physical activity (PA) levels of children attending family day care programs. A total of 114 children from 47 family day care centers wore an accelerometer for the duration of their time in care. Time in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and total PA was calculated using previously validated cut points. Children accumulated 5.8 ± 3.2 minutes of MVPA and 10.4 ± 4.4 minutes of total PA per hour of attendance. Boys exhibited significantly higher levels of PA than girls. Among healthy weight children, 4- and 5-year-olds exhibited significantly higher levels of PA than 2- and 3-year-olds. Overweight and obese 4- and 5-year-olds exhibited significantly lower levels of PA than their healthy weight counterparts. Children attending family day care participate in low levels of PA during the child care day. The results highlight the need for effective programs to promote PA in family day care. Copyright © 2014 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Is a change in mode of travel to school associated with a change in overall physical activity levels in children? Longitudinal results from the SPEEDY study.

PubMed

Smith, Lee; Sahlqvist, Shannon; Ogilvie, David; Jones, Andy; Corder, Kirsten; Griffin, Simon J; van Sluijs, Esther

2012-11-21

Children who use active modes of travel (walking or cycling) to school are more physically active than those who use passive (motorised) modes. However, less is known on whether a change in mode of travel to school is associated with a change in children's physical activity levels. The purpose of this analysis was to investigate the association between change in mode of travel to school and change in overall physical activity levels in children. Data from 812 9-10 year old British children (59% girls) who participated in the SPEEDY study were analysed. During the summer terms of 2007 and 2008 participants completed a questionnaire and wore an accelerometer for at least three days. Two-level multiple linear regression models were used to explore the association between change in usual mode of travel to school and change in objectively measured time spent in MVPA. Compared to children whose reported mode of travel did not change, a change from a passive to an active mode of travel was associated with an increase in daily minutes spent in MVPA (boys: beta 11.59, 95% CI 0.94 to 22.24; girls: beta 11.92, 95% CI 5.00 to 18.84). This increase represented 12% of boys' and 13% of girls' total daily time spent in MVPA at follow-up. This analysis provides further evidence that promoting active travel to school may have a role in contributing to increasing physical activity levels in children.

Type 3 deiodinase deficiency results in functional abnormalities at multiple levels of the thyroid axis.

PubMed

Hernandez, Arturo; Martinez, M Elena; Liao, Xiao-Hui; Van Sande, Jacqueline; Refetoff, Samuel; Galton, Valerie Anne; St Germain, Donald L

2007-12-01

The type 3 deiodinase (D3) is a selenoenzyme that inactivates thyroid hormones and is highly expressed during development and in the adult central nervous system. We have recently observed that mice lacking D3 activity (D3KO mice) develop perinatal thyrotoxicosis followed in adulthood by a pattern of hormonal levels that is suggestive of central hypothyroidism. In this report we describe the results of additional studies designed to investigate the regulation of the thyroid axis in this unique animal model. Our results demonstrate that the thyroid and pituitary glands of D3KO mice do not respond appropriately to TSH and TRH stimulation, respectively. Furthermore, after induction of severe hypothyroidism by antithyroid treatment, the rise in serum TSH in D3KO mice is only 15% of that observed in wild-type mice. In addition, D3KO animals rendered severely hypothyroid fail to show the expected increase in prepro-TRH mRNA in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. Finally, treatment with T(3) results in a serum T(3) level in D3KO mice that is much higher than that in wild-type mice. This is accompanied by significant weight loss and lethality in mutant animals. In conclusion, the absence of D3 activity results in impaired clearance of T(3) and significant defects in the mechanisms regulating the thyroid axis at all levels: hypothalamus, pituitary, and thyroid.

Serum paraoxonase activity and oxidative stress levels in patients with cutaneous anthrax.

PubMed

Karadas, S; Aslan, M; Ceylan, M R; Sunnetcioglu, M; Bozan, N; Kara, H; Demir, H

2017-07-01

Anthrax is a bacterial disease caused by the aerobic sporeforming bacterium Bacillus anthracis. It has been suggested that oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of B. anthracis. The aim of this study was to investigate serum paraoxonase 1 (PON1) activity, catalase activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in patients with cutaneous anthrax. Fifteen patients with cutaneous anthrax and 15 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. The serum MDA levels, SOD levels, paraoxonase, arylesterase, and catalase activities were measured using a spectrophotometer. The serum SOD levels, paraoxonase, arylesterase, and catalase activities were significantly lower in patients with cutaneous anthrax than in controls (for all, p < 0.001), whereas MDA levels were significantly higher ( p < 0.001). No significant correlation was found between serum paraoxonase activity, arylesterase activity, SOD levels, and MDA levels (all, p > 0.05) in patients with cutaneous anthrax. The current study was the first to show decreased antioxidant levels and increased oxidant levels in patients with cutaneous anthrax. Therefore, decreased PON1 activity may play a role in the pathogenesis of cutaneous anthrax.

A Test of the Active-Day Fraction Method of Sunspot Group Number Calibration: Dependence on the Level of Solar Activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willamo, T.; Usoskin, I. G.; Kovaltsov, G. A.

2018-04-01

The method of active-day fraction (ADF) was proposed recently to calibrate different solar observers to standard observational conditions. The result of the calibration may depend on the overall level of solar activity during the observational period. This dependency is studied quantitatively using data of the Royal Greenwich Observatory by formally calibrating synthetic pseudo-observers to the full reference dataset. It is shown that the sunspot group number is precisely estimated by the ADF method for periods of moderate activity, may be slightly underestimated by 0.5 - 1.5 groups ({≤} 10%) for strong and very strong activity, and is strongly overestimated by up to 2.5 groups ({≤} 30%) for weak-to-moderate activity. The ADF method becomes inapplicable for the periods of grand minima of activity. In general, the ADF method tends to overestimate the overall level of activity and to reduce the long-term trends.

Effects of curricular activity on students' situational motivation and physical activity levels.

PubMed

Gao, Zan; Hannon, James C; Newton, Maria; Huang, Chaoqun

2011-09-01

The purpose of this study was to examine (a) the effects of three curricular activities on students'situational motivation (intrinsic motivation [IM], identified regulation [IR], external regulation, and amotivation [AM]) and physical activity (PA) levels, and (b) the predictive strength of situational motivation to PA levels. Four hundred twelve students in grades 7-9 participated in three activities (cardiovascular fitness, ultimate football, and Dance Dance Revolution [DDR]) in physical education. ActiGraph GT1M accelerometers were used to measure students' PA levels for three classes for each activity. Students also completed a Situational Motivation Scale (Guay, Vallerand, & Blanchard, 2000) at the end of each class. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed that students spent significantly higher percentages of time in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) in fitness and football classes than they did in DDR class. Students reported higher lM and IR toward fitness than DDR They also scored higher in IR toward fitness than football. In contrast, students displayed significantly lower AM toward fitness than football and DDR Hierarchical Linear Modeling revealed that IM was the only positive predictor for time in MVPA (p = .02), whereas AM was the negative predictor (p < .01). The findings are discussed in regard to the implications for educational practice.

Effect of Learning Activity on Students' Motivation, Physical Activity Levels and Effort/Persistence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gao, Zan; Lee, Amelia M.; Xiang, Ping; Kosma, Maria

2011-01-01

The type of learning activity offered in physical education may influence students' motivational beliefs, physical activity participation and effort/persistence in class. However, most empirical studies have focused on the individual level rather than on the learner-content interactions. Accordingly, the potential effects of learning activities on…

Physical Activity Levels During Acute Inpatient Admission After Hip Fracture are Very Low.

PubMed

Davenport, Sarah J; Arnold, Meaghan; Hua, Carol; Schenck, Amie; Batten, Sarah; Taylor, Nicholas F

2015-09-01

Hip fractures are very common in older adults and result in serious health consequences. Early mobilization post-surgical intervention for hip fractures is very important. The purpose of this study was to determine physical activity levels during an acute inpatient admission of patients after surgery for hip fracture. The observational study was completed on an orthopaedic ward in an acute general hospital. Twenty patients (18 women, mean age ± standard deviation, 79.1 ± 9.3 years) post-surgical intervention for a hip fracture were included. Physical activity levels were measured using an accelerometer to record the percentage of time spent in lying/sitting, standing and walking, number of steps taken and average energy expenditure. Physical activity levels were extremely low, with participants spending an average of 99% of the day either lying or sitting and a little more than 1% of the day either standing or walking (16 min). Participants took an average of 35.7 ± 80.4 steps per day. Patients received more physiotherapy intervention on weekdays compared with weekends. There was no significant difference in activity levels between weekdays to weekends. No measures of physical activity were associated with length of stay. A mild to moderate association (r = 0.26-0.41) was observed between the measures of physical activity and the amount of physiotherapy received during the weekdays. Physical activity levels during an acute inpatient admission surgery for hip fracture are very low. Patients may have difficulty completing basic activities of daily living post-discharge into the community. Physical activity should be optimized as early in the rehabilitation process as able. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Use of a consumer market activity monitoring and feedback device improves exercise capacity and activity levels in COPD.

PubMed

Caulfield, Brian; Kaljo, Indira; Donnelly, Seamas

2014-01-01

COPD is associated with a gradual decline in physical activity, which itself contributes to a worsening of the underlying condition. Strategies that improve physical activity levels are critical to halt this cycle. Wearable sensor based activity monitoring and persuasive feedback might offer a potential solution. However it is not clear just how much intervention might be needed in this regard - i.e. whether programmes need to be tailored specifically for the target clinical population or whether more simple activity monitoring and feedback solutions, such as that offered in consumer market devices, might be sufficient. This research was carried out to investigate the impact of 4 weeks of using an off the shelf consumer market activity monitoring and feedback application on measures of physical activity, exercise capacity, and health related quality of life in a population of 10 Stage I and II COPD patients. Results demonstrate a significant and positive effect on exercise capacity (measured using a 6-minute walk test) and activity levels (measured in terms of average number of steps per hour) yet no impact on health related quality of life (St Georges Respiratory Disease Questionnaire).

The Variation of Work Productivity and Muscle Activities at Different Levels of Production Target

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nur, Nurhayati Mohd; Dawal, Siti Zawiah Md; Dahari, Mahidzal; Zuhairah Mahmud Zuhudi, Nurul

2017-10-01

This paper aims to investigate the variation of work productivity and muscle activities among workers performing industrial repetitive tasks at four different levels of production target. The work productivity and muscle activities data were recorded from twenty workers at four levels of production target corresponding to “participative (PS1)”, “normal (PS2)”, “high (PS3)” and “very high (PS4)”. The results showed that worker productivity was found to increase at higher production target and there was a significant change (p < 0.005) in work productivity across the four different production targets. The muscle activities were found to increase at higher production target and correspond to more discomfort and a higher rate of muscle fatigue. The results indicated that working with a higher production target results in higher worker productivity, but could lead to higher risk of WMSDs.

[Levels of physical activity in an urban population from Temuco, Chile].

PubMed

Serón, Pamela; Muñoz, Sergio; Lanas, Fernando

2010-10-01

Physical activity plays a crucial role in the protection against cardiovascular diseases. To assess the level of physical activity in a group of subjects living in urban Temuco. Cross sectional study in a random sample of 1091 women aged 52 ± 10 years and 444 men aged 54 ± 10 years , living in Temuco, Chile. The level of physical activity was measured using the long form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Age, gender, educational and socioeconomic level were also determined in study subjects. Median energy expenditure was 2150 and 1600 MET-minute/ week in men and women, respectively (p = 0,001). It decreased with age from a median of 1965 MET-minute/ week in those younger than 50 years old to 1647 MET-minute/ week among subjects aged between 51 and 60 years old and to 1485 MET-minute/ week among those older than 60 years. (p = 0,001). The frequency of high, moderate and low physical activity levels were 15.6, 66 and 18.4 % respectively. These levels were associated with gender, age, educational and socioeconomic level. There was a high frequency of low and moderate levels of physical activity in the urban population of Temuco, associated with female gender, advanced age and middle socioeconomic level.

Low glutathione peroxidase activity levels in patients with vitiligo.

PubMed

Zedan, Hatem; Abdel-Motaleb, Amira Ali; Kassem, Nahed Mahmoud Ali; Hafeez, Heba Ahmed Abdel; Hussein, Mahmoud Rezk Abdelwhahed

2015-01-01

Vitiligo is an idiopathic skin disease characterized by white areas on the skin due to loss of the functional melanocytes, with possible involvement of oxidative stress. Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) is an antioxidant enzyme that protects cells against oxidative damage. To examine serum GPx levels in patients with vitiligo and to relate the findings to the clinical features. The study group included 60 patients with vitiligo and 30 matching healthy controls. GPx activity was evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We found a significant decrease in serum GPx activity level in the patients with vitiligo compared to the healthy controls (0.29 ± 0.14 versus 0.47 ± 0.13, p < .001). The levels were significantly low in skin phenotypes III and IV (p < .001). Higher levels were also observed with increasing age (≥ 14 years), prolonged disease duration (≥ 3 years), and generalized and extensive vitiligo (< 50%). However, these variations were statistically insignificant. Low levels of serum GPx activity, indicative of a disturbed oxidant-antioxidant system, may contribute to the development of vitiligo. © 2014 Canadian Dermatology Association.

Association between Physical Activity Knowledge and Levels of Physical Activity in Chinese Adults with Type 2 Diabetes

PubMed Central

Hui, Stanley Sai-Chuen; Hui, Grace Pui-Sze; Xie, Yao Jie

2014-01-01

Background Physical activity (PA) is an important treatment regimen for diabetes. The purposes of this study were to evaluate people’s knowledge of how exercise influences wellbeing (termed “PA knowledge” or “knowledge of PA” in this paper) and the resulting association with levels of PA in Chinese adults with Type 2 diabetes, and to identify the valuable demographic and lifestyle factors that possibly influence the association between PA knowledge and level of PA. Methods Two hundred and fifty-eight adults with Type 2 diabetes completed an interviewer-administered survey at a diabetes clinic in Hong Kong. Data on demographics, lifestyle factors and diabetes-related medical indicators were obtained. A 20-item questionnaire was developed to measure PA-related knowledge (one point scored for each correct answer; aggregate score up to 20 points). level of PA was measured by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Results The proportions of correct answers to each question ranged from 19.4 to 90.7%. Compared with poorly educated participants, those with university education level and above had PA knowledge scores 1.7 points higher (14.3 vs. 12.6, P<0.05). Younger, female, and obese participants were more likely to have lower level of PA (all P<0.05). After adjustment for age, gender, (BMI) and education level, the odds of having a moderate-to-high level of PA was 19% greater with 1 unit increase in PA knowledge score [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09–1.29; P<0.001], this association was strongest in participants with tertiary education level or above [odds ratio (OR): 1.35; 95% CI: 1.03–1.77; P<0.05]. Conclusions PA knowledge was positively associated with level of PA. Education level significantly influenced the association between PA knowledge and level of PA, leading to the suggestion of vulnerable groups to target for PA improvement in the face of diabetes. PMID:25493559

IL-18 Serum Level in Adult Onset Still's Disease: A Marker of Disease Activity

PubMed Central

Colafrancesco, Serena; Priori, Roberta; Alessandri, Cristiano; Perricone, Carlo; Pendolino, Monica; Picarelli, Giovanna; Valesini, Guido

2012-01-01

Introduction. Immunological factors seem to play a pivotal role in Adult Onset Still's Disease (AOSD). Among all, IL-18 cytokine is overexpressed and drives the inflammatory process. Objective. We aimed to investigate the levels of IL-18 in sera of Italian patients with AOSD and to assess its possible role as a marker of disease activity. Methods. IL-18 serum levels were determined by ELISA in 26 Italian patients with AOSD. Disease activity was assessed using Pouchot's criteria. As controls, 21 patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), 21 patients with Sjogren's Syndrome (SS), 20 patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), and 21 healthy subjects (normal human sera, NHS) were evaluated. Results. IL-18 serum levels were significantly higher in patients with active AOSD than in non-active (P = 0.001) and control groups (RA P = 0.0070, SS P = 0.0029, SLE P = 0.0032, NHS P = 0.0004). A significant correlation between IL-18 serum levels and disease activity (P < 0.0001), and laboratory parameters as ferritin (P = 0.0127) and C-reactive protein (P = 0.0032) was demonstrated. Conclusions. Higher levels of IL-18 are detected in active AODS patients and correlate with disease activity and inflammatory laboratory features. ROC-AUC analysis of the serum concentration of IL-18 suggests that it can be considered a diagnostic marker of AOSD. This paper supports the targeting of this cytokine as a possible therapeutic option in AOSD. PMID:22762008

Theory-based physical activity beliefs by race and activity levels among older adults.

PubMed

Kosma, Maria; Cardinal, Bradley J

2016-01-01

Given the benefits of physical activity and the high proportion of inactivity among older adults, the purpose was to elicit theory-based behavioral, normative, and control physical activity beliefs among 140 educationally and economically diverse older adults and compare their beliefs by race (Blacks vs. Whites) and physical activity levels (inactive/underactive vs. highly active individuals). This was an elicitation study that took place in eight, mostly rural community settings in a Southeastern US state, such as Council of Aging Offices, retirement centers, and churches. Participants' behavioral, normative, and control beliefs were elicited via in person interviews. A valid and reliable questionnaire was also used to assess their physical activity levels. According to the content analysis, inactive/underactive participants reported fewer physical activity advantages than highly active participants. Common physical activity advantages between the two groups were overall health, emotional functioning, and physical functioning. Similar physical activity advantages were reported among Blacks and Whites with overall health being the most important advantage. The most common physical activity disadvantages and barriers for all four groups were falls, injuries, pain, and health issues. Inactive/underactive individuals and Blacks tended to report more disadvantages and barriers than their peers. Common physical activity supporters were family members, friends and peers, and health-care professionals. In their physical activity motivational programs, health promoters should reinforce physical activity benefits, social support, access to activity programs, and safety when intervening among older adults.

Soluble CD30 serum level in HCV-positive chronic active hepatitis: A surrogate marker of disease activity?

PubMed

Foschi, F G; Gramenzi, A; Castelli, E; Cursaro, C; Pagani, S; Margotti, M; D'Errico, A; Andreone, P; Stefanini, G F; Bernardi, M

2000-06-01

In the present study, high levels of CD30s, a glycoprotein preferentially expressed and released by T lymphocytes producing Th(2)-type cytokines, were seen in the sera of patients with chronic hepatitis C, and a correlation with histological activity of the disease was found. CD30s levels were assayed in the sera of 29 HCV RNA-positive patients with histologically proven chronic active hepatitis and in 30 healthy blood donors. Thirteen of 29 (45%) HCV patients had CD30s serum levels above the normal range (>20 U/ml). Mean CD30s serum levels were significantly higher in HCV patients than in controls (P<0.0005). A positive correlation was found between serum CD30s levels and both the histological activity index (r=0.59, P=0.001) and ALT serum levels (r=0.5; P=0.006). The raised CD30s level found in more severe HCV liver disease indirectly suggests activation and expansion of Th(2)cells. CD30s levels could represent a useful surrogate marker of activity in chronic HCV infections. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

General physical activity levels influence positive and negative priming effects in young adults.

PubMed

Kamijo, Keita; Takeda, Yuji

2009-03-01

To investigate the relationship between general physical activity level and the cognitive functions of executive control in young adults using behavioral measures and event-related brain potentials. Forty young adults (mean age=21.1 yrs; 19 females) were differentiated on the basis of their regular physical activity level into two groups: active and sedentary. They performed a spatial priming task consisting of three conditions: control, positive, and negative priming. Spatial priming effects, which are related to executive control and occur automatically, were assessed as indicators of cognitive functioning. Negative priming effects on reaction time and P3 latency in the active group were larger than in the sedentary group. By contrast, positive priming effects were only observed in the sedentary group. The cognitive effects of regular physical activity could be observed using a relatively simple paradigm. The results indicate that regular physical activity has a beneficial effect on the cognitive processes on executive control in young adults. The present study provides additional evidence of the beneficial effects of regular physical activity on cognitive functioning in young adults.

Salivary Alpha-Amylase Activity Levels in Catatonic Schizophrenia Decrease after Electroconvulsive Therapy.

PubMed

Kanayama, Misako; Miyaoka, Tsuyoshi; Araki, Tomoko; Hayashida, Maiko; Hashioka, Sadayuki; Horiguchi, Jun

2018-01-01

Dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in schizophrenia has been detected by electrophysiological methods, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Several studies have suggested that measuring salivary alpha-amylase activity levels is useful for evaluating the ANS activity and that sAA levels increase in schizophrenia and correlate with Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) scores. However, no study has examined the relationship between sAA activity levels and symptoms of schizophrenia with catatonic state. We present the case of a 59-year-old female with persistent catatonic schizophrenia treated by electroconvulsive therapy. We evaluated the ANS activity by measuring sAA activity levels before and after ECT, and we evaluated her symptoms using the BPRS and Bush-Francis Catatonia Rating Scale (BFCRS). ECT was highly effective and BPRS and BFCRS scores substantially decreased. sAA activity levels decreased from 125 kU/l to 33 kU/l. sAA activity levels could be a potential biomarker of schizophrenia with catatonic state.

Secular trends in storm-level geomagnetic activity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Love, J.J.

2011-01-01

Analysis is made of K-index data from groups of ground-based geomagnetic observatories in Germany, Britain, and Australia, 1868.0-2009.0, solar cycles 11-23. Methods include nonparametric measures of trends and statistical significance used by the hydrological and climatological research communities. Among the three observatory groups, German K data systematically record the highest disturbance levels, followed by the British and, then, the Australian data. Signals consistently seen in K data from all three observatory groups can be reasonably interpreted as physically meaninginful: (1) geomagnetic activity has generally increased over the past 141 years. However, the detailed secular evolution of geomagnetic activity is not well characterized by either a linear trend nor, even, a monotonic trend. Therefore, simple, phenomenological extrapolations of past trends in solar and geomagnetic activity levels are unlikely to be useful for making quantitative predictions of future trends lasting longer than a solar cycle or so. (2) The well-known tendency for magnetic storms to occur during the declining phase of a sunspot-solar cycles is clearly seen for cycles 14-23; it is not, however, clearly seen for cycles 11-13. Therefore, in addition to an increase in geomagnetic activity, the nature of solar-terrestrial interaction has also apparently changed over the past 141 years. ?? Author(s) 2011.

Effect of level of chronic immune system activation on the lactational performance of sows.

PubMed

Sauber, T E; Stahly, T S; Nonnecke, B J

1999-08-01

The effect of the level of chronic immune system (IS) activation on sow lactational performance was determined in 11 pairs of littermate, primiparous sows. Sows with a low level of IS activation were created by rearing the animals via early weaning, isolated rearing schemes. During lactation, two levels of IS activation were achieved in each littermate sow pair by subcutaneous administration of either 0 (saline) or 5 microg/kg of sow BW of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in a mineral oil adjuvant emulsion on d 2 and 10 of lactation. Litters were standardized to 13 pigs by 8 h postpartum. Sows were offered daily 6.0 kg of a corn-soy diet formulated to contain a minimum of 250% of the dietary nutrient concentrations estimated to be needed by lactating sows. Based on antibody titers to LPS and serum concentrations of alpha-1 acid glycoprotein (AGP), high IS sows mounted an immune response to the LPS during lactation, and low IS sows maintained a low level of IS activation. Over an 18-d lactation, a high level of chronic activation of the sows' immune systems depressed daily sow feed intakes by .56 kg, litter weight gains by .32 kg, and daily milk by 1.4 kg, milk energy by 1.7 Mcal, and milk protein yields by 71 g, but did not alter sow body weight loss. The reductions in yields of milk and milk nutrients likely were because of proinflammatory cytokine-induced inhibition of the lactogenic hormones resulting from high chronic IS activation. Based on these data, the level of chronic IS activation alters the lactational performance of sows.

Perception versus reality: awareness of physical activity levels of British children

PubMed Central

Corder, Kirsten; van Sluijs, Esther MF; McMinn, Alison M; Ekelund, Ulf; Cassidy, Aedin; Griffin, Simon J

2013-01-01

Background Interventions to increase children’s physical activity (PA) have had limited success. One reason may be that children and their parents over-estimate children’s levels of PA, although there are few data on this topic. We aimed to assess awareness of PA levels among 9-10 year-old British school children and their parents. Methods PA was measured by accelerometer in a cross-sectional study of 1892 children (44% male, mean(SD) age: 10.3(0.3) years) from 92 Norfolk schools (SPEEDY study). Inactive was defined as <60 min/day of moderate and vigorous PA. Agreement between PA perception (child- and parent-rated) and objective PA was assessed. Associations between biological (height, weight, fat mass index), parental (support, BMI, PA) and peer factors (support, objective PA) and child and parental PA awareness were studied using multinomial logistic regression. Results 39% of girls and 18% of boys were inactive. 80% of parents of inactive children wrongly thought that their child was sufficiently active. 40% of inactive children over-estimated their PA level. Compared to parents who accurately described their children as inactive, over-estimators were more likely to have girls (p=0.005), a child with a lower fat mass (p<0.001) or reporting more parental and peer support (p=0.014 and p<0.001, respectively). Conclusions Most parents of inactive children wrongly consider their children to be sufficiently active; parents of children with a lower fat mass appear to assume that their children are adequately active. Increasing awareness regarding health benefits of PA beyond weight control might help reverse misperceptions of PA levels and encourage behaviour change. PMID:20117551

Results from the United states' 2014 report card on physical activity for children and youth.

PubMed

Dentro, Kara N; Beals, Kim; Crouter, Scott E; Eisenmann, Joey C; McKenzie, Thomas L; Pate, Russell R; Saelens, Brian E; Sisson, Susan B; Spruijt-Metz, Donna; Sothern, Melinda S; Katzmarzyk, Peter T

2014-05-01

The National Physical Activity Plan Alliance partnered with physical activity experts to develop a report card that provides a comprehensive assessment of physical activity among United States children and youth. The 2014 U.S. Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth includes 10 indicators: overall physical activity levels, sedentary behaviors, active transportation, organized sport participation, active play, health-related fitness, family and peers, school, community and the built environment, and government strategies and investments. Data from nationally representative surveys were used to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the physical activity indicators. The Committee used the best available data source to grade the indicators using a standard rubric. Approximately one-quarter of children and youth 6 to 15 years of age were at least moderately active for 60 min/day on at least 5 days per week. The prevalence was lower among youth compared with younger children, resulting in a grade of D- for overall physical activity levels. Five of the remaining 9 indicators received grades ranging from B- to F, whereas there was insufficient data to grade 4 indicators, highlighting the need for more research in some areas. Physical activity levels among U.S. children and youth are low and sedentary behavior is high, suggesting that current infrastructure, policies, programs, and investments in support of children's physical activity are not sufficient.

Induction of antioxidant enzyme activity and lipid peroxidation level in ion-beam-bombarded rice seeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semsang, Nuananong; Yu, LiangDeng

2013-07-01

Low-energy ion beam bombardment has been used to mutate a wide variety of plant species. To explore the indirect effects of low-energy ion beam on biological damage due to the free radical production in plant cells, the increase in antioxidant enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation level was investigated in ion-bombarded rice seeds. Local rice seeds were bombarded with nitrogen or argon ion beams at energies of 29-60 keV and ion fluences of 1 × 1016 ions cm-2. The activities of the antioxidant enzymes; superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and lipid peroxidation level were assayed in the germinated rice seeds after ion bombardment. The results showed most of the enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation levels in both the argon and nitrogen bombarded samples were higher than those in the natural control. N-ion bombardment could induce higher levels of antioxidant enzyme activities in the rice samples than the Ar-ion bombardment. Additional effects due to the vacuum condition were found to affect activities of some antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation level. This study demonstrates that ion beam bombardment and vacuum condition could induce the antioxidant enzyme activity and lipid peroxidation level which might be due to free radical production in the bombarded rice seeds.

White blood cell counts mediate the effects of physical activity on prostate-specific antigen levels.

PubMed

Loprinzi, Paul D; Richart, Sarah M

2014-09-01

The purpose of this study was to examine whether white blood cell (WBC) level mediated the relationship between physical activity and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. Data from the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used; 1,726 U.S. adult men (aged 40 years or older) provided complete data on the study variables. Participants wore an ActiGraph 7164 accelerometer for a 7-day period to measure their physical activity behavior, and PSA and WBC levels were obtained from a blood sample. After adjustments, results showed that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was inversely associated with WBC count (b = - .03; 95% CI [ - 0.04, - 0.006; p = .01), and WBC count (b = .10; 95% CI [0.009, 0.18; p = .04) was positively associated with PSA. Both the Sobel (coef. = - .004, SE = .002; z = - 2.0; p = .03) and the Aroian (coef. = - .004, SE = .002; z = - 1.9; p = .03) tests demonstrated that WBC mediated the relationship between physical activity and PSA. Additionally, among 107 participants with prostate cancer, survivors engaging in more MVPA had lower levels of WBC (b = - .04; 95% CI [ - 0.09, - 0.0009; p = .04). Conclusion Physical activity may influence PSA levels through WBC modulation; however, future research is needed to determine the direction of causality. Additionally, prostate cancer survivors engaging in higher levels of MVPA had lower levels of WBC, underscoring the importance of promoting physical activity among prostate cancer survivors.

Symptom Assessment in Knee Osteoarthritis Needs to Account for Physical Activity Level

PubMed Central

Lo, Grace H.; McAlindon, Timothy E.; Hawker, Gillian A.; Driban, Jeffrey B.; Price, Lori Lyn; Song, Jing; Eaton, Charles B.; Hochberg, Marc C.; Jackson, Rebecca D.; Kwoh, C. Kent; Nevitt, Michael C.; Dunlop, Dorothy D.

2015-01-01

Objective Pain is not always correlated with radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) severity possibly because people modify activities to manage symptoms. Measures of symptoms that consider pain in the context of activity level may therefore provide greater discrimination than pain alone. Our objective was to compare discrimination of a measure of pain alone with combined measures of pain relative to physical activity across radiographic OA levels. Methods This is a cross-sectional study of the Osteoarthritis Initiative accelerometer substudy, including those with and without knee OA. Two composite pain and activity knee symptom (PAKS) scores were calculated as Western Ontario and McMaster (WOMAC) Universities Osteoarthritis Pain Scale plus one divided by physical activity measures (step and activity counts). Symptom score discrimination across Kellgren and Lawrence (KL) grades were evaluated using histograms and quantile regression. Results 1806 participants, mean age 65.1 (9.1) years, mean BMI 28.4 (4.8) kg/m2, and 55.6% female, were included. WOMAC, but not PAKS scores, exhibited a floor effect. Adjusted median WOMAC by KL grades 0 – 4 were 0, 0, 1, 1, and 3 respectively. Median PAKS1 and PAKS2 were 24.9, 26.0, 32.4, 46.1, 97.9, and 7.2, 7.2, 9.2, 12.9, 23.8, respectively. PAKS scores had more statistically significant comparisons between KL grades compared with WOMAC. Conclusions Symptom assessments incorporating pain and physical activity did not exhibit a floor effect and were better able to discriminate radiographic severity than pain alone, particularly in milder disease. Pain in the context of physical activity level should be used to assess knee OA symptoms. PMID:26407008

Evaluating forensic biology results given source level propositions.

PubMed

Taylor, Duncan; Abarno, Damien; Hicks, Tacha; Champod, Christophe

2016-03-01

The evaluation of forensic evidence can occur at any level within the hierarchy of propositions depending on the question being asked and the amount and type of information that is taken into account within the evaluation. Commonly DNA evidence is reported given propositions that deal with the sub-source level in the hierarchy, which deals only with the possibility that a nominated individual is a source of DNA in a trace (or contributor to the DNA in the case of a mixed DNA trace). We explore the use of information obtained from examinations, presumptive and discriminating tests for body fluids, DNA concentrations and some case circumstances within a Bayesian network in order to provide assistance to the Courts that have to consider propositions at source level. We use a scenario in which the presence of blood is of interest as an exemplar and consider how DNA profiling results and the potential for laboratory error can be taken into account. We finish with examples of how the results of these reports could be presented in court using either numerical values or verbal descriptions of the results. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mediating role of activity level in the depressive realism effect.

PubMed

Blanco, Fernando; Matute, Helena; A Vadillo, Miguel

2012-01-01

Several classic studies have concluded that the accuracy of identifying uncontrollable situations depends heavily on depressive mood. Nondepressed participants tend to exhibit an optimistic illusion of control, whereas depressed participants tend to better detect a lack of control. Recently, we suggested that the different activity levels (measured as the probability of responding during a contingency learning task) exhibited by depressed and nondepressed individuals is partly responsible for this effect. The two studies presented in this paper provide further support for this mediational hypothesis, in which mood is the distal cause of the illusion of control operating through activity level, the proximal cause. In Study 1, the probability of responding, P(R), was found to be a mediator variable between the depressive symptoms and the judgments of control. In Study 2, we intervened directly on the mediator variable: The P(R) for both depressed and nondepressed participants was manipulated through instructions. Our results confirm that P(R) manipulation produced differences in the participants' perceptions of uncontrollability. Importantly, the intervention on the mediator variable cancelled the effect of the distal cause; the participants' judgments of control were no longer mood dependent when the P(R) was manipulated. This result supports the hypothesis that the so-called depressive realism effect is actually mediated by the probability of responding.

Heparanase level and procoagulant activity are reduced in severe sepsis.

PubMed

Matan, Moshe; King, Daniel; Peled, Eli; Ackerman, Shanny; Bar-Lavi, Yaron; Brenner, Benjamin; Nadir, Yona

2018-02-01

During severe sepsis, levels and activity of all coagulation proteins are reduced. Heparanase is implicated in angiogenesis and tumor progression. We previously demonstrated that heparanase also affected the hemostatic system. It forms a complex and increases the activity of the blood coagulation initiator tissue factor. To evaluate heparanase levels and procoagulant activity as predictors of sepsis severity. Twenty-one patients with non-trauma, non-surgical sepsis admitted to the intensive care unit and 35 controls were recruited. Plasma samples were drawn from the study participants on days 1 and 7 following admission. Heparanase levels and procoagulant activity on day 1 were significantly reduced in patients compared to controls (P < .0001, P < .0001, respectively). Day 1 heparanase procoagulant activity ≥350 ng/mL yielded a negative predictive value for severe sepsis of 89%. Additionally, heparanase procoagulant activity on day 7 correlated with the change in the APACHE score between days 1 and 7 (r = .66, P = .007). Heparanase procoagulant activity decreases during sepsis and returns to normal levels as soon as the patient recovers. Hence, it can be potentially used to predict the risk of severe sepsis. These findings need to be further explored in large-scale studies. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Plasma catalase activity and malondialdehyde level in patients with cataract.

PubMed

Ateş, N A; Yildirim, O; Tamer, L; Unlü, A; Ercan, B; Muşlu, N; Kanik, A; Hatungil, R; Atik, U

2004-08-01

Oxidative mechanisms play a major role in the aetiology and pathogenesis of cataract, especially in age-related cataract. Our study aims to investigate systemic oxidant and antioxidant markers in cataract patients. The activity of erythrocyte catalase and the level of malondialdehyde in plasma were measured in 40 patients with cataract and 60 healthy control subjects. The malondialdehyde level, as an index of lipid peroxidation, was determined by thiobarbitüric acid reaction according to Yagi. The determination of catalase activity was measured by a method that was defined by Beutler. Catalase enzyme activity and malondialdehyde level were evaluated to find out whether there was a significant difference in these variables. Analysis of variance was used by forming a general linear model that takes age and gender as the covariate. CAT activity was found to be 13 920.2 +/- 847.9 U/l in cataract patients and 16 061.3 +/- 1126.6 U/l in control subjects. CAT activity in cataract patients was significantly lower than the control subjects (P = 0.008). Plasma MDA level is significantly higher in patients with cataract 4.47 +/- 0.35 nmol/ml compared to the control subjects 2.94 +/- 0.26 nmol/ml (P = 0.0001). There was no significant difference between different cataract subgroups when erythrocyte CAT activities and plasma MDA levels were compared (P = 0.322, 0.062). This study shows that oxidant/antioxidant balances alter in the presence of cataract.

Seasonality in Children's Pedometer-Measured Physical Activity Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beighle, Aaron; Alderman, Brandon; Morgan, Charles F.; Le Masurier, Guy

2008-01-01

Seasonality appears to have an impact on children's physical activity levels, but equivocal findings demand more study in this area. With the increased use of pedometers in both research and practice, collecting descriptive data in various seasons to examine the impact of seasonality on pedometer-measured physical activity among children is…

Experimentally increasing sedentary behavior results in increased anxiety in an active young adult population.

PubMed

Edwards, Meghan K; Loprinzi, Paul D

2016-11-01

Knowledge regarding the effects of sedentary behavior on anxiety has resulted mainly from observational studies. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a free-living, sedentary behavior-inducing randomized controlled intervention on anxiety symptoms. Participants confirmed to be active (i.e., acquiring 150min/week of physical activity) via self-report and accelerometry were randomly assigned into a sedentary behavior intervention group (n=26) or a control group (n=13). For one week, the intervention group eliminated exercise and minimized steps to ≤5000 steps/day whereas the control group continued their normal physical activity levels. Both groups completed the Overall Anxiety Severity Impairment Scale (OASIS) pre- and post-intervention, with higher OASIS scores indicating worse overall anxiety. The intervention group resumed normal physical activity levels for one week post-intervention and then completed the survey once more. A significant group x time interaction effect was observed (F(1,37)=11.13; P=.002), with post-hoc contrast tests indicating increased OASIS scores in the intervention group in Visit 2 compared with Visit 1. That is, we observed an increase in anxiety levels when participants increased their sedentary behavior. OASIS scores significantly decreased from Visit 2 to Visit 3 (P=.001) in the intervention group. A one-week sedentary behavior-inducing intervention has deleterious effects on anxiety in an active, young adult population. To prevent elevated anxiety levels among active individuals, consistent regular physical activity may be necessary. Clinicians treating inactive patients who have anxiety may recommend a physical activity program in addition to any other prescribed treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Can exergaming contribute to improving physical activity levels and health outcomes in children?

PubMed

Daley, Amanda J

2009-08-01

Physical inactivity among children is a serious public health problem. It has been suggested that high levels of screen time are contributory factors that encourage sedentary lifestyles in young people. As physical inactivity and obesity levels continue to rise in young people, it has been proposed that new-generation active computer- and video-console games (otherwise known as "exergaming") may offer the opportunity to contribute to young people's energy expenditure during their free time. Although studies have produced some encouraging results regarding the energy costs involved in playing active video-console games, the energy costs of playing the authentic versions of activity-based video games are substantially larger, highlighting that active gaming is no substitute for real sports and activities. A small number of exergaming activities engage children in moderate-intensity activity, but most do not. Only 3 very small trials have considered the effects of exergaming on physical activity levels and/or other health outcomes in children. Evidence from these trials has been mixed; positive trends for improvements in some health outcomes in the intervention groups were noted in 2 trials. No adequately powered randomized, controlled trial has been published to date, and no trial has assessed the long-term impact of exergaming on children's health. We now need high-quality randomized, controlled trials to evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of exergaming, as well as its clinical relevance; until such studies take place, we should remain cautious about its ability to positively affect children's health.

Tadpole swimming performance and activity affected by acute exposure to sublethal levels of carbaryl

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bridges, C.M.

1997-01-01

General activity and swimming performance (i.e., sprint speed and distance) of plains leopard frog tadpoles (Rana blairi) were examined after acute exposure to three sublethal concentrations of carbaryl (3.5, 5.0, and 7.2 mg/L). Both swimming performance and spontaneous swimming activity are important for carrying out life history functions (e.g., growth and development) and for escaping from predators. Measured tadpole activity diminished by nearly 90% at 3.5 mg/L carbaryl and completely ceased at 7.2 mg/L. Sprint speed and sprint distance also decreased significantly following exposure. Carbaryl affected both swimming performance and activity after just 24 h, suggesting that 24 h may be an adequate length of exposure to determine behavioral effects on tadpoles. Slight recovery of activity levels was noted at 24 and 48 h post-exposure; no recovery of swimming performance was observed. Reduction in activity and swimming performance may result in increased predation rates and, because activity is closely associated with feeding, may result in slowed growth leading to a failure to emerge before pond drying or an indirect reduction in adult fitness. Acute exposure to sublethal toxicants such as carbaryl may not only affect immediate survival of tadpoles but also impact critical life history functions and generate changes at the local population level.

[Systematic review on the physical activity level and nutritional status of Brazilian children].

PubMed

Graziele Bento, Gisele; Cascaes da Silva, Franciele; Gonçalves, Elizandra; Domingos Dos Santos, Patrícia; da Silva, Rudney

2016-08-01

Objective To systematically review the literature on the prevalence and the factors associated with physical activity level and nutritional status of Brazilian children. Methods The electronic database MEDLINE (via PubMed), SciELO, SCOPUS and Web of Science were selected. The search strategy included the descriptors proposed in the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH): "Motor Activity", "Activities", "Nutritional Status", "Overweight", "Obesity", "Body Mass Index", "Child", "Brazil". Results The search allowed the identification of 141 articles, of which 16 studies were considered potentially relevant and were included in the review. Conclusions Studies about nutritional status and physical activity levels in Brazilian children are still scarce, but the work on this has increased in recent years, especially those that use cross designs, as well as questionnaires to measure physical activity; BMI for nutritional status is still widely used. Furthermore, studies that analyzed the amount of hours designated to sedentary behaviors such as watching TV, playing video-games and using the computer, found that these activities took more than two hours every day.

The gut microbiome and degradation enzyme activity of wild freshwater fishes influenced by their trophic levels.

PubMed

Liu, Han; Guo, Xianwu; Gooneratne, Ravi; Lai, Ruifang; Zeng, Cong; Zhan, Fanbin; Wang, Weimin

2016-04-13

Vertebrate gut microbiome often underpins the metabolic capability and provides many beneficial effects on their hosts. However, little was known about how host trophic level influences fish gut microbiota and metabolic activity. In this study, more than 985,000 quality-filtered sequences from 24 16S rRNA libraries were obtained and the results revealed distinct compositions and diversities of gut microbiota in four trophic categories. PCoA test showed that gut bacterial communities of carnivorous and herbivorous fishes formed distinctly different clusters in PCoA space. Although fish in different trophic levels shared a large size of OTUs comprising a core microbiota community, at the genus level a strong distinction existed. Cellulose-degrading bacteria Clostridium, Citrobacter and Leptotrichia were dominant in the herbivorous, while Cetobacterium and protease-producing bacteria Halomonas were dominant in the carnivorous. PICRUSt predictions of metagenome function revealed that fishes in different trophic levels affected the metabolic capacity of their gut microbiota. Moreover, cellulase and amylase activities in herbivorous fishes were significantly higher than in the carnivorous, while trypsin activity in the carnivorous was much higher than in the herbivorous. These results indicated that host trophic level influenced the structure and composition of gut microbiota, metabolic capacity and gut content enzyme activity.

The gut microbiome and degradation enzyme activity of wild freshwater fishes influenced by their trophic levels

PubMed Central

Liu, Han; Guo, Xianwu; Gooneratne, Ravi; Lai, Ruifang; Zeng, Cong; Zhan, Fanbin; Wang, Weimin

2016-01-01

Vertebrate gut microbiome often underpins the metabolic capability and provides many beneficial effects on their hosts. However, little was known about how host trophic level influences fish gut microbiota and metabolic activity. In this study, more than 985,000 quality-filtered sequences from 24 16S rRNA libraries were obtained and the results revealed distinct compositions and diversities of gut microbiota in four trophic categories. PCoA test showed that gut bacterial communities of carnivorous and herbivorous fishes formed distinctly different clusters in PCoA space. Although fish in different trophic levels shared a large size of OTUs comprising a core microbiota community, at the genus level a strong distinction existed. Cellulose-degrading bacteria Clostridium, Citrobacter and Leptotrichia were dominant in the herbivorous, while Cetobacterium and protease-producing bacteria Halomonas were dominant in the carnivorous. PICRUSt predictions of metagenome function revealed that fishes in different trophic levels affected the metabolic capacity of their gut microbiota. Moreover, cellulase and amylase activities in herbivorous fishes were significantly higher than in the carnivorous, while trypsin activity in the carnivorous was much higher than in the herbivorous. These results indicated that host trophic level influenced the structure and composition of gut microbiota, metabolic capacity and gut content enzyme activity. PMID:27072196

Electrocortical activity distinguishes between uphill and level walking in humans.

PubMed

Bradford, J Cortney; Lukos, Jamie R; Ferris, Daniel P

2016-02-01

The objective of this study was to determine if electrocortical activity is different between walking on an incline compared with level surface. Subjects walked on a treadmill at 0% and 15% grades for 30 min while we recorded electroencephalography (EEG). We used independent component (IC) analysis to parse EEG signals into maximally independent sources and then computed dipole estimations for each IC. We clustered cortical source ICs and analyzed event-related spectral perturbations synchronized to gait events. Theta power fluctuated across the gait cycle for both conditions, but was greater during incline walking in the anterior cingulate, sensorimotor and posterior parietal clusters. We found greater gamma power during level walking in the left sensorimotor and anterior cingulate clusters. We also found distinct alpha and beta fluctuations, depending on the phase of the gait cycle for the left and right sensorimotor cortices, indicating cortical lateralization for both walking conditions. We validated the results by isolating movement artifact. We found that the frequency activation patterns of the artifact were different than the actual EEG data, providing evidence that the differences between walking conditions were cortically driven rather than a residual artifact of the experiment. These findings suggest that the locomotor pattern adjustments necessary to walk on an incline compared with level surface may require supraspinal input, especially from the left sensorimotor cortex, anterior cingulate, and posterior parietal areas. These results are a promising step toward the use of EEG as a feed-forward control signal for ambulatory brain-computer interface technologies.

Design of chimeric expression elements that confer high-level gene activity in chromoplasts.

PubMed

Caroca, Rodrigo; Howell, Katharine A; Hasse, Claudia; Ruf, Stephanie; Bock, Ralph

2013-02-01

Non-green plastids, such as chromoplasts, generally have much lower activity of gene expression than chloroplasts in photosynthetically active tissues. Suppression of plastid genes in non-green tissues occurs through a complex interplay of transcriptional and translational control, with the contribution of regulation of transcript abundance versus translational activity being highly variable between genes. Here, we have investigated whether the low expression of the plastid genome in chromoplasts results from inherent limitations in gene expression capacity, or can be overcome by designing appropriate combinations of promoters and translation initiation signals in the 5' untranslated region (5'-UTR). We constructed chimeric expression elements that combine promoters and 5'-UTRs from plastid genes, which are suppressed during chloroplast-to-chromoplast conversion in Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) fruit ripening, either just at the translational level or just at the level of mRNA accumulation. These chimeric expression elements were introduced into the tomato plastid genome by stable chloroplast transformation. We report the identification of promoter-UTR combinations that confer high-level gene expression in chromoplasts of ripe tomato fruits, resulting in the accumulation of reporter protein GFP to up to 1% of total cellular protein. Our work demonstrates that non-green plastids are capable of expressing genes to high levels. Moreover, the chimeric cis-elements for chromoplasts developed here are widely applicable in basic and applied research using transplastomic methods. © 2012 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Physical activity levels and patterns of 11-14 year-old Turkish adolescents.

PubMed

Kin-Isler, Ayse; Asci, F Hulya; Altintas, Atakan; Guven-Karahan, Bengu

2009-01-01

This study examined age and gender differences in physical activity levels and various physical activity patterns of 11-14-year-old Turkish adolescents and also determined if these differ between genders. Six hundred and fifty girls and 666 boys between the ages of 11 and 14 years constituted the sample of this study. Participants self-reported physical activity levels and patterns were determined by a Weekly Activity Checklist. A 2 x 4 (Gender x Age) MANOVA revealed overall significant main effect of gender and age on the physical activity level of adolescents; however, gender x age interaction effect was not significant. The findings indicated an interaction effect was not significant. The findings indicated an age-related decline in physical activity level, an increase in participation in low activities, and a decrease in participation in moderate and vigorous activities in 11-14-year-old Turkish adolescents. In addition it was found that boys were more active than girls and participated more in moderate and vigorous activities.

Objectively-Measured Physical Activity Levels in Physical Education among Homeschool Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swenson, Sarah; Pope, Zachary; Zeng, Nan

2016-01-01

Despite a growing population of homeschool children in the United States, little is known regarding their physical activity (PA) levels. Without access to physical education, homeschool children may engage in inadequate PA levels. The purpose of this study was to objectively examine the activity levels of homeschool students participating in a…

Level of physical activity in men and women with chronic stroke.

PubMed

Vahlberg, Birgit; Bring, Annika; Hellström, Karin; Zetterberg, Lena

2018-04-16

Community-dwelling stroke survivors generally show low levels of physical activity (PA). An improved understanding of the factors influencing participation in PA after stroke is imperative to improve levels of PA. Furthermore, gender differences in PA have received little attention in stroke research. The objective of this study was to examine gender differences in PA, physical functioning and psychological factors and the association between these factors and PA in men and women 1-3-year post-stroke. A total of 187 community-dwelling individuals with stroke (65-85 years old, 29% women) were included in a secondary analysis based on data from a cross-sectional study. The exclusion criteria were severe cognitive or language dysfunction or dementia. The level of PA was measured by the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly. Physical function included balance, walking speed and mobility. Psychological factors included depression, health-related quality of life and fall-related self-efficacy. Falls and fear of falling were each measured with a single question. There were no significant differences in PA levels between men and women. In multiple regression analyses, walking speed (p < 0.001) was associated with PA in men, and balance (p = 0.038) was associated with PA in women. The results indicate that strategies to increase PA levels 1-3-year post-stroke could be improved by considering gender-specific factors.

The contribution of former work-related activity levels to predict physical activity and sedentary time during early retirement: moderating role of educational level and physical functioning.

PubMed

Van Dyck, Delfien; Cardon, Greet; Deforche, Benedicte; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse

2015-01-01

The transition to retirement introduces a decline in total physical activity and an increase in TV viewing time. Nonetheless, as more time becomes available, early retirement is an ideal stage to implement health interventions. Therefore, knowledge on specific determinants of physical activity and sedentary time is needed. Former work-related physical activity has been proposed as a potential determinant, but concrete evidence is lacking. The aim of this study was to examine if former work-related sitting, standing, walking or vigorous activities predict physical activity and sedentary time during early retirement. Additionally, moderating effects of educational level and physical functioning were examined. In total, 392 recently retired Belgian adults (>6 months, <5 years) completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the SF-36 Health Survey and a questionnaire on sociodemographics and former work-related activities. Generalized linear regression analyses were conducted in R. Moderating effects were examined by adding cross-products to the models. More former work-related sitting was predictive of more screen time during retirement. Lower levels of former work-related vigorous activities and higher levels of former work-related walking were associated with respectively more cycling for transport and more walking for transport during retirement. None of the predictors significantly explained passive transportation, cycling and walking for recreation, and leisure-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during retirement. Several moderating effects were found, but the direction of the interactions was not univocal. Former-work related behaviors are of limited importance to explain physical activity during early retirement, so future studies should focus on other individual, social and environmental determinants. Nonetheless, adults who previously had a sedentary job had higher levels of screen time during retirement, so this is an important

A school-level analysis of adolescent extracurricular activity, delinquency, and depression: the importance of situational context.

PubMed

Guest, Andrew M; McRee, Nick

2009-01-01

In this article we investigate the extent to which the relationship between extracurricular activities and youth development depends on situational contexts. Using a national sample including 13,466 youths in grades 7-12 across 120 schools, we conduct school-level analyses of the association between extracurricular activities, delinquency, and depression. Three main findings are reported. First, we observe near-normal distributions across schools in the proportions of delinquent or depressed youths involved in extracurricular activities, illustrating that extracurricular activities can be positive, neutral, or negative settings for youth development. Second, within individual schools we fail to uncover consistent associations in the propensity of delinquent or depressed youth to be involved with different types of extracurricular activities. Third, standard macro-level context variables do not explain the observed variations within or between schools. The results suggest that the relationships between extracurricular activities, delinquent conduct and depressive symptoms among youth ultimately depend more upon micro-level contextual factors than the type or content of the activities themselves.

Association between physical activity level and consumption of fruit and vegetables among adolescents in northeast Brazil

PubMed Central

Silva, Diego Augusto Santos; Silva, Roberto Jerônimo dos Santos

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between low levels of physical activity and consumption of fruits and vegetables among adolescents. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 2,057 adolescents aged 13 to 18 years from the city of Aracaju, Northeastern Brazil. We analyzed the level of physical activity, consumption of fruits and vegetables by standardized and validated questionnaires. The control variables were sex, age, socioeconomic status, maternal education, alcohol consumption and smoking. For data analysis, univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used, with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: The prevalence of low levels of physical activity was 81.9%; the inadequate consumption of fruits ocurred in 79.1% and the inadequate consumption of vegetables in 90.6%. Adolescents who consumed few fruits daily had an increase in 40% of chance of being insufficiently active and, for those who consumed few vegetable's the likelihood of being insufficiently active was 50% higher, compared to those who had adequate intake of these foods. CONCLUSIONS: Low levels of physical activity were associated with inadequate fruit and vegetable intake among adolescents in a city in northeastern Brazil. These findings suggest that insufficiently active adolescents have other unhealthy behaviors that may increase the risk of chronic diseases in adulthood. PMID:25887930

Serum Adipocytokine Levels as Surrogate Markers for Disease Activity of Crohn's Disease.

PubMed

Kim, Su Hwan; Jang, Seung Hyeon; Kim, Ji Won; Kim, Byeong Gwan; Lee, Kook Lae; Kim, You Sun; Han, Dong Soo; Kim, Joo Sung

2017-05-01

Determining inflammatory activity is crucial for assessing disease activity and for tailoring therapy in patients with Crohn׳s disease (CD). This study aimed to evaluate adipocytokine levels in patients with CD and to determine whether they can serve as surrogate markers for disease activity. Serum samples and information regarding the clinical features of patients in the CD Network Project registry were collected from March 2009 to February 2012. Patients with CD and disease duration of at least 2 years were enrolled in this study. Fasting serum leptin, adiponectin, obestatin and ghrelin levels were measured, and their correlation with clinical features of the patients was analyzed. Serum adipocytokine levels were evaluated according to disease activity as determined by CD activity index score. A total of 153 patients with CD were included. Serum ghrelin levels negatively correlated with patient age (P = 0.041) and age at diagnosis (P = 0.017), and positively correlated with C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (P = 0.017). Multiple regression analysis showed that serum ghrelin levels were related only to CRP levels (P = 0.032). Like ghrelin, serum leptin levels were also related to CRP levels (P < 0.001). Obestatin and adiponectin levels were not related to CRP levels. Serum adipocytokine levels did not significantly differ across different disease locations or behaviors. Serum ghrelin levels were significantly lower in patients with CD with a history of surgery than in those without (P = 0.007). Serum ghrelin and leptin levels may be useful as surrogate markers for disease activity in patients with CD. Copyright © 2017 Southern Society for Clinical Investigation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On Your Mark, Get Set, Go: Levels of Physical Activity in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2013.

PubMed

El Bcheraoui, Charbel; Tuffaha, Marwa; Daoud, Farah; Kravitz, Hannah; Al Mazroa, Mohammad A; Al Saeedi, Mohammad; Memish, Ziad A; Basulaiman, Mohammed; Al Rabeeah, Abdullah A; Mokdad, Ali H

2016-02-01

With the lack of appropriate data, we conducted a large household survey in 2013 to determine current rates of physical activity in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The Saudi Health Interview Survey is a national multistage survey of individuals aged 15 years or older. We used a multivariate logistic regression model to measure association between sociodemographic and selected characteristics and meeting the recommended levels of moderate and vigorous weekly physical activity. Of a total of 12,000 households contacted, 10,735 (89.4%) participants completed Saudi Health Interview Survey. An estimated 4.5 million (34.5%) Saudis aged 15 years or older reported no weekly physical activity, while only 1.7 million (12.9%) meet the recommended levels of moderate physical activity (MPA). The likelihood of meeting MPA decreased with age, education, among women, those with a history of diagnosis of select chronic conditions, including diabetes. Similar results were found for the likelihood of meeting the recommended levels of vigorous weekly physical activity. We found very low levels of physical activity in KSA. Perhaps, KSA can challenge communities or employers to devise solutions and reward those with the best results. These solutions would be of great value to other Gulf countries, as well.

Association among physical activity level, cardiorespiratory fitness, and risk of musculoskeletal injury.

PubMed

Hootman, J M; Macera, C A; Ainsworth, B E; Martin, M; Addy, C L; Blair, S N

2001-08-01

To help public health practitioners promote physical activities with a low risk of injury, this study determined the relation among type and duration of physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and musculoskeletal injury in a sample of adults enrolled in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study. Subjects included 4,034 men and 967 women who underwent a baseline physical examination between 1970 and 1985 and who returned a mailed follow-up survey in 1986. At baseline, a treadmill graded exercise test was used to measure cardiorespiratory fitness. At follow-up, subjects reported injuries and type and duration of physical activity in the preceding 12 months. Polytomous logistic regression was used to estimate the association among physical activity type and duration, cardiorespiratory fitness, and injury. The risk of sustaining an activity-related injury increased with higher duration of physical activity per week and cardiorespiratory fitness levels. Results suggest that cardiorespiratory fitness may be a surrogate for unmeasured components of physical activity, such as exercise intensity. Among walkers, increasing duration of activity per week was not associated with an increased risk of injury. Results suggest that, for most adults, walking is a safe form of physical activity associated with a lower risk of injury than running or sport participation.

Recommended level of physical activity and health-related quality of life among Japanese adults

PubMed Central

Shibata, Ai; Oka, Koichiro; Nakamura, Yoshio; Muraoka, Isao

2007-01-01

Background The benefits of a recommended level of physical activity on physiological health indicators such as morbidity and mortality are well-accepted, but less research has addressed whether or not the association between the recommended level of physical activity and a health-related quality of life (HRQOL) exists in the Japanese population. Thus, the present study examined whether the recommended physical activity would be associated with HRQOL in the general Japanese middle-aged population. Methods Data were obtained from 1211 male and female respondents (39.4 ± 10.9 year, mean ± SD) from an Internet-based survey of registrants of an Internet research service. Physical activity level was estimated from the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. HRQOL was assessed with the Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form-8 questionnaire (SF-8). Based on the current national guidelines for exercise in Japan, respondents were divided into a recommended group, an insufficient group, and an inactive group according to their estimated weekly physical activity level. Multivariate analyses of covariance were utilized. Results Across both genders, the recommended group had significantly higher physical functioning (PF) scores than the inactive group (p < .05). Additionally, across both genders, the recommended group had significantly higher general health perception scores than the insufficient and inactive groups (p < .05). The recommended group had significantly higher vitality scores than the insufficient and inactive groups in males, and higher than only the inactive group in females (p < .05). The insufficient group had significantly higher PF scores than the inactive group across both genders (p < .05). The recommended group had significantly higher physical component scores than the inactive group (p = .001). Conclusion Individuals who attained the recommended level of physical activity had better scores on some dimensions of HRQOL than those who

Assessment of Objectively Measured Physical Activity Levels in Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities with and without Down's Syndrome

PubMed Central

Phillips, Alexander C.; Holland, Anthony J.

2011-01-01

Objective To investigate, using accelerometers, the levels of physical activity being undertaken by individuals with intellectual disabilities with and without Down's syndrome. Methods One hundred and fifty two individuals with intellectual disabilities aged 12–70 years from East and South-East England. Physical activity levels in counts per minute (counts/min), steps per day (steps/day), and minutes of sedentary, light, moderate, vigorous, and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) measured with a uni-axial accelerometer (Actigraph GT1M) for seven days. Results No individuals with intellectual disabilities met current physical activity recommendations. Males were more active than females. There was a trend for physical activity to decline and sedentary behaviour to increase with age, and for those with more severe levels of intellectual disability to be more sedentary and less physically active, however any relationship was not significant when adjusted for confounding variables. Participants with Down's syndrome engaged in significantly less physical activity than those with intellectual disabilities without Down's syndrome and levels of activity declined significantly with age. Conclusions Individuals with intellectual disabilities, especially those with Down's syndrome may be at risk of developing diseases associated with physical inactivity. There is a need for well-designed, accessible, preventive health promotion strategies and interventions designed to raise the levels of physical activity for individuals with intellectual disabilities. We propose that there are physiological reasons why individuals with Down's syndrome have particularly low levels of physical activity that also decline markedly with age. PMID:22205957

Examining differences in physical activity levels by employment status and/or job activity level: Gender-specific comparisons between the United States and Sweden.

PubMed

Kwak, Lydia; Berrigan, David; Van Domelen, Dane; Sjöström, Michael; Hagströmer, Maria

2016-06-01

The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between employment status and job activity level with physical activity (PA) and sedentary time, stratified by gender and country. Cross-sectional study design. Data from working age adults (18-65 years) from two cross-sectional studies, the Swedish 2001-2002 and 2007-2008 Attitude Behavior and Change Study (ABC; n=1165) and the 2003-2006 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES; n=4201), were stratified by employment status (employed and not employed) and job activity level (active, sedentary and mixed). PA in counts×min(-1) and time spent in sedentary, low and moderate or higher intensity were measured with accelerometers. Analyses were conducted in 2012-2013. In NHANES, the employed had significantly higher counts×min(-1) and spent more time in moderate or higher intensity PA than those not employed. In ABC, no significant differences were observed between employed and unemployed. Adults with active versus sedentary occupations had higher counts×min(-1) and less sedentary time in both the USA and Sweden and in both men and women. For example, counts×min(-1) were 20-40% greater in active versus sedentary jobs. Employment status is related to PA and sedentary time among men and women in the USA but not in Sweden. Among the employed, occupational PA is associated with total PA and sedentary time for both genders and in both countries. Comparisons of PA levels based on objective measurements can refine understanding of country differences in activity. Copyright © 2015 Sports Medicine Australia. All rights reserved.

Home and Work Physical Activity Environments: Associations with Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Physical Activity Level in French Women.

PubMed

Oppert, Jean-Michel; Charles, Marie-Aline; Charreire, Hélène; Menai, Mehdi; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Brage, Soren; de Lauzon-Guillain, Blandine; Fagherazzi, Guy; Balkau, Beverley

2016-08-15

The influence of the physical activity environment in the home and at work on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and objectively-measured physical activity has not been extensively studied. We recruited 147 women with a (mean ± SD) age of 54 ± 7 years and without evidence of chronic disease. The physical activity environment was assessed by self-report (Assessing Levels of PHysical Activity or ALPHA questionnaire), CRF using a submaximal step test, usual physical activity using combined heart rate and accelerometry, as well as by a validated questionnaire (Recent Physical Activity Questionnaire). Summary scores of the home environment and the work environment derived from the ALPHA questionnaire were positively correlated with CRF after adjustment for age (r = 0.18, p = 0.03 and r = 0.28, p < 0.01, respectively). Women owning a bicycle or having a garden (which may prompt physical activity) had higher CRF; those with a bicycle at home also had a higher physical activity energy expenditure. Similarly, women who had access to fitness equipment at work had higher CRF. In conclusion, these results provide new insights into potential environmental influences on physical capacity and physical activity that could inform the design of physical activity promotion strategies.

Detailed assessment of gene activation levels by multiple hypoxia-responsive elements under various hypoxic conditions.

PubMed

Takeuchi, Yasuto; Inubushi, Masayuki; Jin, Yong-Nan; Murai, Chika; Tsuji, Atsushi B; Hata, Hironobu; Kitagawa, Yoshimasa; Saga, Tsuneo

2014-12-01

HIF-1/HRE pathway is a promising target for the imaging and the treatment of intractable malignancy (HIF-1; hypoxia-inducible factor 1, HRE; hypoxia-responsive element). The purposes of our study are: (1) to assess the gene activation levels resulting from various numbers of HREs under various hypoxic conditions, (2) to evaluate the bidirectional activity of multiple HREs, and (3) to confirm whether multiple HREs can induce gene expression in vivo. Human colon carcinoma HCT116 cells were transiently transfected by the constructs containing a firefly luciferase reporter gene and various numbers (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12) of HREs (nHRE+, nHRE-). The relative luciferase activities were measured under various durations of hypoxia (6, 12, 18, and 24 h), O2 concentrations (1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 %), and various concentrations of deferoxamine mesylate (20, 40, 80, 160, and 320 µg/mL growth medium). The bidirectional gene activation levels by HREs were examined in the constructs (dual-luc-nHREs) containing firefly and Renilla luciferase reporter genes at each side of nHREs. Finally, to test whether the construct containing 12HRE and the NIS reporter gene (12HRE-NIS) can induce gene expression in vivo, SPECT imaging was performed in a mouse xenograft model. (1) gene activation levels by HREs tended to increase with increasing HRE copy number, but a saturation effect was observed in constructs with more than 6 or 8 copies of an HRE, (2) gene activation levels by HREs increased remarkably during 6-12 h of hypoxia, but not beyond 12 h, (3) gene activation levels by HREs decreased with increasing O2 concentrations, but could be detected even under mild hypoxia at 16 % O2, (4) the bidirectionally proportional activity of the HRE was confirmed regardless of the hypoxic severity, and (5) NIS expression driven by 12 tandem copies of an HRE in response to hypoxia could be visualized on in vivo SPECT imaging. The results of this study will help in the understanding and assessment of

Trainability of Muscular Activity Level during Maximal Voluntary Co-Contraction: Comparison between Bodybuilders and Nonathletes

PubMed Central

Maeo, Sumiaki; Takahashi, Takumi; Takai, Yohei; Kanehisa, Hiroaki

2013-01-01

Antagonistic muscle pairs cannot be fully activated simultaneously, even with maximal effort, under conditions of voluntary co-contraction, and their muscular activity levels are always below those during agonist contraction with maximal voluntary effort (MVE). Whether the muscular activity level during the task has trainability remains unclear. The present study examined this issue by comparing the muscular activity level during maximal voluntary co-contraction for highly experienced bodybuilders, who frequently perform voluntary co-contraction in their training programs, with that for untrained individuals (nonathletes). The electromyograms (EMGs) of biceps brachii and triceps brachii muscles during maximal voluntary co-contraction of elbow flexors and extensors were recorded in 11 male bodybuilders and 10 nonathletes, and normalized to the values obtained during the MVE of agonist contraction for each of the corresponding muscles (% EMGMVE). The involuntary coactivation level in antagonist muscle during the MVE of agonist contraction was also calculated. In both muscles, % EMGMVE values during the co-contraction task for bodybuilders were significantly higher (P<0.01) than those for nonathletes (biceps brachii: 66±14% in bodybuilders vs. 46±13% in nonathletes, triceps brachii: 74±16% vs. 57±9%). There was a significant positive correlation between a length of bodybuilding experience and muscular activity level during the co-contraction task (r = 0.653, P = 0.03). Involuntary antagonist coactivation level during MVE of agonist contraction was not different between the two groups. The current result indicates that long-term participation in voluntary co-contraction training progressively enhances muscular activity during maximal voluntary co-contraction. PMID:24260233

Older Adults' Opinions on Fall Prevention in Relation to Physical Activity Level.

PubMed

Tuvemo Johnson, Susanna; Martin, Cathrin; Anens, Elisabeth; Johansson, Ann-Christin; Hellström, Karin

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe older adults' opinions regarding actions to prevent falls and to analyze differences in the opinions of highly versus less physically active older adults. An open-ended question was answered by 262 individuals aged 75 to 98 years living in the community. The answers were analyzed using qualitative content analysis, and differences in the categories were compared between highly and less physically active persons. Physical activity was measured according to a five-level scale. The content analysis resulted in eight categories: assistive devices, avoiding hazards, behavioral adaptive strategies, being physically active, healthy lifestyle, indoor modifications, outdoor modifications, and seeking assistance. Behavioral adaptive strategies were mentioned to a greater extent by highly active people, and indoor modifications were more often mentioned by less active older adults. Support for active self-directed behavioral strategies might be important for fall prevention among less physically active older adults.

The maintenance of elevated active chlorine levels in the Antarctic lower stratosphere through HCl null cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Müller, Rolf; Grooß, Jens-Uwe; Mannan Zafar, Abdul; Robrecht, Sabine; Lehmann, Ralph

2018-03-01

The Antarctic ozone hole arises from ozone destruction driven by elevated levels of ozone destroying (active) chlorine in Antarctic spring. These elevated levels of active chlorine have to be formed first and then maintained throughout the period of ozone destruction. It is a matter of debate how this maintenance of active chlorine is brought about in Antarctic spring, when the rate of formation of HCl (considered to be the main chlorine deactivation mechanism in Antarctica) is extremely high. Here we show that in the heart of the ozone hole (16-18 km or 85-55 hPa, in the core of the vortex), high levels of active chlorine are maintained by effective chemical cycles (referred to as HCl null cycles hereafter). In these cycles, the formation of HCl is balanced by immediate reactivation, i.e. by immediate reformation of active chlorine. Under these conditions, polar stratospheric clouds sequester HNO3 and thereby cause NO2 concentrations to be low. These HCl null cycles allow active chlorine levels to be maintained in the Antarctic lower stratosphere and thus rapid ozone destruction to occur. For the observed almost complete activation of stratospheric chlorine in the lower stratosphere, the heterogeneous reaction HCl + HOCl is essential; the production of HOCl occurs via HO2 + ClO, with the HO2 resulting from CH2O photolysis. These results are important for assessing the impact of changes of the future stratospheric composition on the recovery of the ozone hole. Our simulations indicate that, in the lower stratosphere, future increased methane concentrations will not lead to enhanced chlorine deactivation (through the reaction CH4 + Cl → HCl + CH3) and that extreme ozone destruction to levels below ≈ 0.1 ppm will occur until mid-century.

[Physical activity: results of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults (DEGS1)].

PubMed

Krug, S; Jordan, S; Mensink, G B M; Müters, S; Finger, J; Lampert, T

2013-05-01

Regular physical activity can have a positive effect on health at any age. Today's lifestyles, however, can often be characterised as sedentary. Therefore, the promotion of physical activity and sports has become an integral part of public health measures. The representative data of adults aged 18 to 79 years in Germany obtained from the "German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults" (DEGS1) provide an overview of self-estimated current physical activity behaviour. The results show that one third of the adult population claims to pay close attention to reaching a sufficient level of physical activity and one fourth participates in sports for at least 2 h/week on a regular basis. Thus, the percentage of adults regularly engaged in sports has increased compared to the previous "German National Health Interview and Examination Survey 1998". Still, four out of five adults do not achieve at least 2.5 h/week of moderate-intensity physical activity as recommended by the World Health Organisation. Consequently, future individual-level and population-level interventions should focus on target group-specific measures while continuing to promote regular physical activity in all segments of the population. An English full-text version of this article is available at SpringerLink as supplemental.

Daily total physical activity level and premature death in men and women: results from a large-scale population-based cohort study in Japan (JPHC study).

PubMed

Inoue, Manami; Iso, Hiroyasu; Yamamoto, Seiichiro; Kurahashi, Norie; Iwasaki, Motoki; Sasazuki, Shizuka; Tsugane, Shoichiro

2008-07-01

The impact of daily total physical activity level on premature deaths has not been fully clarified in non-Western, relatively lean populations. We prospectively examined the association between daily total physical activity level (METs/day) and subsequent risk of all-cause mortality and mortalities from cancer, heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease. A total of 83,034 general Japanese citizens ages 45-74 years who responded to the questionnaire in 1995-1999 were followed for any cause of death through December 2005. Mutlivariate-adjusted hazard ratios were calculated with a Cox proportional hazards model controlling for potential confounding factors. During follow-up, a total of 4564 deaths were recorded. Compared with subjects in the lowest quartile, increased daily total physical activity was associated with a significantly decreased risk of all-cause mortality in both sexes (hazard ratios for the second, third, and highest quartiles were: men, 0.79, 0.82, 0.73 and women, 0.75, 0.64, 0.61, respectively). The decreased risk was observed regardless of age, frequency of leisure-time sports or physical exercise, or obesity status, albeit with a degree of risk attenuation among those with a high body mass index. A significantly decreased risk was similarly observed for death from cancer and heart disease in both sexes, and from cerebrovascular disease in women. Greater daily total physical activity level, either from occupation, daily life, or leisure time, may be of benefit in preventing premature death.

Modification of Pulsed Electric Field Conditions Results in Distinct Activation Profiles of Platelet-Rich Plasma.

PubMed

Frelinger, Andrew L; Gerrits, Anja J; Garner, Allen L; Torres, Andrew S; Caiafa, Antonio; Morton, Christine A; Berny-Lang, Michelle A; Carmichael, Sabrina L; Neculaes, V Bogdan; Michelson, Alan D

2016-01-01

-derived microparticles, platelets, and platelet aggregates whereas SMHEF pulses primarily resulted in platelet-derived microparticles. Microparticles and platelets in PRP activated with SMLEF bipolar pulses had significantly lower annexin V-positivity than those following SMHEF activation. In contrast, the % P-selectin positivity and surface P-selectin expression (MFI) for platelets and microparticles in SMLEF bipolar pulse activated PRP was significantly higher than that in SMHEF-activated PRP, but not significantly different from that produced by thrombin activation. Higher levels of EGF were observed following either SMLEF bipolar pulses or SMHEF pulses of PRP than after bovine thrombin activation while VEGF, PDGF, and PF4 levels were similar with all three activating conditions. Cell proliferation was significantly increased by releasates of both SMLEF bipolar pulse and SMHEF pulse activated PRP compared to plasma alone. PEF activation of PRP at bipolar low vs. monopolar high field strength results in differential platelet-derived microparticle production and activation of platelet surface procoagulant markers while inducing similar release of growth factors and similar capacity to induce cell proliferation. Stimulation of PRP with SMLEF bipolar pulses is gentler than SMHEF pulses, resulting in less platelet microparticle generation but with overall activation levels similar to that obtained with thrombin. These results suggest that PEF provides the means to alter, in a controlled fashion, PRP properties thereby enabling evaluation of their effects on wound healing and clinical outcomes.

Physical activity levels of older adults receiving a home care service.

PubMed

Burton, Elissa; Lewin, Gill; Boldy, Duncan

2013-04-01

The 3 study objectives were to compare the activity levels of older people who had received a restorative home care service with those of people who had received "usual" home care, explore the predictors of physical activity in these 2 groups, and determine whether either group met the minimum recommended activity levels for their age group. A questionnaire was posted to 1,490 clients who had been referred for a home care service between 2006 and 2009. Older people who had received a restorative care service were more active than those who had received usual care (p = .049), but service group did not predict activity levels when other variables were adjusted for in a multiple regression. Younger individuals who were in better physical condition, with good mobility and no diagnosis of depression, were more likely to be active. Investigation of alternatives to the current exercise component of the restorative program is needed.

Social and productive activities and health among partnered older adults: A couple-level analysis.

PubMed

Lam, Jack; Bolano, Danilo

2018-04-16

We theorize and test the health of older adults as a result of their activity engagement, as well as a product of their spouse's engagement. We draw on 15 waves of couple-level data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. Using responses of time engaged in nine different activities, we estimate Latent Class Models to describe activity profiles of partnered older adults. Given potential health selections into activity engagement, we lag older adults' activity engagement by one wave to examine its association with subsequent health. We then investigate associations between the lag of the spouse's activities with respondents' health, controlling for their own activity engagement at the previous wave. We find four activity profiles for men, and three for women. Respondents who were predominantly engaged in community activities generally report better subsequent health. Beyond their own activity engagement, for both older men and women, having a partner who was also community engaged associate with better subsequent health, though for older women, there were little differences between having a husband who was community engaged or inactive. Our findings highlight the value of considering activities of partnered older adults at the couple level. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Chronic Active Cannabis Use on Visuomotor Integration, in Relation to Brain Activation and Cortisol Levels

PubMed Central

King, G.R.; Ernst, T.; Deng, W.; Stenger, A.; Gonzales, R.M.K; Nakama, H.; Chang, L.

2012-01-01

Cannabis is the most abused illegal substance in the United States. Alterations in brain function and motor behavior have been reported in chronic cannabis users, but the results have been variable. The current study aimed to determine whether chronic active cannabis use in humans may alter psychomotor function, brain activation, and hypothalamic-pituitary-axis (HPA) function in men and women. 30 cannabis users (16 men and 14 women, 18 to 45 years old) and 30 non-drug user controls (16 men and 14 women, 19 to 44 years old) were evaluated with neuropsychological tests designed to assess motor behavior and functional MRI (fMRI), using a 3 Tesla scanner, during a visually paced finger-sequencing task, cued by a flashing checkerboard (at 2 or 4 Hz). Salivary cortisol was measured to assess HPA function. Male, but not female, cannabis users had significantly slower performance on psychomotor speed tests. As a group, cannabis users had greater activation in BA 6 than controls, while controls had greater activation in the visual area BA 17 than cannabis users. Cannabis users also had higher salivary cortisol levels than controls (p = 0.002). Chronic active cannabis use is associated with slower and less efficient psychomotor function, especially in the male users, as indicated by a shift from regions involved with automated visually guided responses to more executive or attentional control areas. These brain activities may be attenuated by the higher cortisol levels in the cannabis users which in turn may lead to less efficient visual-motor function. PMID:22159107

Force-endurance capabilities of extravehicular activity (EVA) gloves at different pressure levels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bishu, Ram R.; Klute, Glenn K.

1993-01-01

The human hand is a very useful multipurpose tool in all environments. However, performance capabilities are compromised considerably when gloves are donned. This is especially true to extravehicular activity (EVA) gloves. The primary intent was to answer the question of how long a person can perform tasks requiring certain levels of exertion. The objective was to develop grip force-endurance relations. Six subjects participated in a factorial experiment involving three hand conditions, three pressure differentials, and four levels of force exertion. The results indicate that, while the force that could be exerted depended on the glove, pressure differential, and the level of exertion, the endurance time at any exertion level depended just on the level of exertion expressed as a percentage of maximum exertion possible at that condition. The impact of these findings for practitioners as well as theoreticians is discussed.

Correlates of physical activity level among hemodialysis patients in Selangor, Malaysia.

PubMed

Wong, S W; Chan, Y M; Lim, T S

2011-12-01

There is mounting evidence demonstrating the importance of adequate physical activity to promote better well-being among hemodialysis patients. Available data pertaining to the levels of physical activity and its determinants among hemodialysis patients is, however, scarce in Malaysia. The objectives of this study are hence to determine the levels of physical activity and it associated factors among hemodialysis patients. A total of 70 subjects were recruited from three dialysis centres in Selangor. A face-to-face interview was conducted to obtain socio-demographic data and subjects' knowledge on dietary sources. Medical history, biochemical parameters and weight status were obtained from medical records. Physical activity level (PAL) was assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). A total of 81.4% and 18.6% of the respondents had low and moderate PALs, respectively. Thus, none of the respondents had high PAL. Serum creatinine, education level, personal income and knowledge score on potassium-related medical complications were factors found to correlate significantly with PAL. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that higher PAL was predicted by a lower knowledge score on dietary sodium source, higher education and higher serum creatinine. Despite consistent documentation of the potential positive impact of physical exercise on hemodialysis outcomes, the level of physical activity remains low among these patients. It is hoped that these findings can add to the existing body of knowledge and serve as a supporting document for the formulation of appropriate interventions to improve the status of physical activity among hemodialysis patients in Malaysia.

A-Level Results in Comprehensive Schools: The COMBSE Project, Year 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitz-Gibbon, Carol T.

1985-01-01

Results of the first year of the ongoing Confidential, Measurement-Based, Self-Evaluation Project that examines variables related to A-level English and Mathematics achievement in 10 comprehensive schools in the United Kingdom are presented. A-level results were found to be strongly predicted by teacher assessments and by prior O-level achievement…

Seasonal Variation in Objectively Assessed Physical Activity among Young Norwegian Talented Soccer Players: A Description of Daily Physical Activity Level

PubMed Central

Sæther, Stig A.; Aspvik, Nils P.

2014-01-01

‘Practise makes perfect’ is a well-known expression in most sports, including top-level soccer. However, a high training and match load increases the risk for injury, overtraining and burnout. With the use of accelerometers and a self-report questionnaire, the aim of this study was to describe talented players’ physical activity (PA) level. Data were collected three times during the 2011 Norwegian Football season (March, June and October). The accelerometer output, counts·min–1 (counts per unit time registered), reports the daily PA-level for young talented soccer players. Results showed a stable PA-level across the season (March: 901.2 counts·min–1, June: 854.9 counts·min–1, October: 861.5 counts·min–1). Furthermore, comparison of five different training sessions across the season showed that the PA-level ranged from 2435.8 to 3745.4 counts·min–1. A one-way ANOVA showed no significant differences between the three measured weeks during the soccer season (p≤0.814). However, the training sessions in January had a significantly higher PA-level than those in June and October (p≤0.001). Based on these results, we discuss how potential implications of PA-level affect factors such as risk of injury, overtraining and burnout. We argue that player development must be seen as part of an overall picture in which club training and match load should be regarded as one of many variables influencing players’ PA-level. Key points It is well established that to achieve a high performance level in sport, one must implement a high training and match load in childhood and youth. With the use of accelerometers and a self-reported questionnaire, the aim of this study was to describe talented players’ total physical activity (PA) load. These results indicate that young talented soccer players must overcome large doses of PA on a weekly basis, exposing them to a high risk of injury, overtraining and burnout. PMID:25435792

Seasonal Variation in Objectively Assessed Physical Activity among Young Norwegian Talented Soccer Players: A Description of Daily Physical Activity Level.

PubMed

Sæther, Stig A; Aspvik, Nils P

2014-12-01

'Practise makes perfect' is a well-known expression in most sports, including top-level soccer. However, a high training and match load increases the risk for injury, overtraining and burnout. With the use of accelerometers and a self-report questionnaire, the aim of this study was to describe talented players' physical activity (PA) level. Data were collected three times during the 2011 Norwegian Football season (March, June and October). The accelerometer output, counts·min(-1) (counts per unit time registered), reports the daily PA-level for young talented soccer players. Results showed a stable PA-level across the season (March: 901.2 counts·min(-1), June: 854.9 counts·min(-1), October: 861.5 counts·min(-1)). Furthermore, comparison of five different training sessions across the season showed that the PA-level ranged from 2435.8 to 3745.4 counts·min(-1). A one-way ANOVA showed no significant differences between the three measured weeks during the soccer season (p≤0.814). However, the training sessions in January had a significantly higher PA-level than those in June and October (p≤0.001). Based on these results, we discuss how potential implications of PA-level affect factors such as risk of injury, overtraining and burnout. We argue that player development must be seen as part of an overall picture in which club training and match load should be regarded as one of many variables influencing players' PA-level. Key pointsIt is well established that to achieve a high performance level in sport, one must implement a high training and match load in childhood and youth.With the use of accelerometers and a self-reported questionnaire, the aim of this study was to describe talented players' total physical activity (PA) load.These results indicate that young talented soccer players must overcome large doses of PA on a weekly basis, exposing them to a high risk of injury, overtraining and burnout.

Active children through individual vouchers - evaluation (ACTIVE): protocol for a mixed method randomised control trial to increase physical activity levels in teenagers.

PubMed

James, Michaela; Christian, Danielle; Scott, Samantha; Todd, Charlotte; Stratton, Gareth; McCoubrey, Sarah; Halcox, Julian; Audrey, Suzanne; Ellins, Elizabeth; Brophy, Sinead

2017-07-11

Many teenagers are insufficiently active despite the health benefits of physical activity (PA). There is strong evidence to show that inactivity and low fitness levels increase the risk of non-communicable diseases such as coronary heart disease (CHD), type 2 diabetes and breast and colon cancers (Lee et al. Lancet 380:219-29, 2012). A major barrier facing adolescents is accessibility (e.g. cost and lack of local facilities). The ACTIVE project aims to tackle this barrier through a multi-faceted intervention, giving teenagers vouchers to spend on activities of their choice and empowering young people to improve their fitness and PA levels. ACTIVE is a mixed methods randomised control trial in 7 secondary schools in Swansea, South Wales. Quantitative and qualitative measures including PA (cooper run test (CRT), accelerometery over 7 days), cardiovascular (CV) measures (blood pressure, pulse wave analysis) and focus groups will be undertaken at 4 separate time points (baseline, 6 months,12 months and follow-up at 18 months). Intervention schools will receive a multi-component intervention involving 12 months of £20 vouchers to spend on physical activities of their choice, a peer mentor scheme and opportunities to attend advocacy meetings. Control schools are encouraged to continue usual practice. The primary aim is to examine the effect of the intervention in improving cardiovascular fitness. This paper describes the protocol for the ACTIVE randomised control trial, which aims to increase fitness, physical activity and socialisation of teenagers in Swansea, UK via a voucher scheme combined with peer mentoring. Results can contribute to the evidence base on teenage physical activity and, if effective, the intervention has the potential to inform future physical activity interventions and policy. ISRCTN75594310 (Assigned 06/03/2017).

Soluble CD26/CD30 levels in visceral leishmaniasis: markers of disease activity

PubMed Central

Ajdary, S; Riazi-Rad, F; Jafari-Shakib, R; Mohebbali, M

2006-01-01

Leishmania infantum is the causative agent of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (VL). If untreated the disease could be fatal; however, in some cases the infection can run a subclinical course. In subclinical infections a Th1-response predominates, while Th2-responses and/or probably Treg cells are related to unfavourable outcome of the disease in active VL. In the present study we determined the levels of soluble (s) CD26 and CD30 co-stimulatory molecules in sera from patients with active VL, asymptomatic individuals and healthy volunteers. Results showed a significant difference in both sCD26 and sCD30 between infected cases and normal individuals (P ≤ 0·001). However, there was no significant difference in sCD26 levels between asymptomatic cases and patients, although the difference was not significant. sCD30 levels were significantly higher in VL patients than asymptomatic cases (P ≤ 0·001). These findings suggest a possible association between sCD26 and sCD30 levels and the clinical manifestation of L. infantum infection. PMID:16792672

Do Increases in Patient Activation Result in Improved Self-Management Behaviors?

PubMed Central

Hibbard, Judith H; Mahoney, Eldon R; Stock, Ronald; Tusler, Martin

2007-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study is to determine whether patient activation is a changing or changeable characteristic and to assess whether changes in activation also are accompanied by changes in health behavior. Study Methods To obtain variability in activation and self-management behavior, a controlled trial with chronic disease patients randomized into either intervention or control conditions was employed. In addition, changes in activation that occurred in the total sample were also examined for the study period. Using Mplus growth models, activation latent growth classes were identified and used in the analysis to predict changes in health behaviors and health outcomes. Data Sources Survey data from the 479 participants were collected at baseline, 6 weeks, and 6 months. Principal Findings Positive change in activation is related to positive change in a variety of self-management behaviors. This is true even when the behavior in question is not being performed at baseline. When the behavior is already being performed at baseline, an increase in activation is related to maintaining a relatively high level of the behavior over time. The impact of the intervention, however, was less clear, as the increase in activation in the intervention group was matched by nearly equal increases in the control group. Conclusions Results suggest that if activation is increased, a variety of improved behaviors will follow. The question still remains, however, as to what interventions will improve activation. PMID:17610432

Muscle activity, time to fatigue, and maximum task duration at different levels of production standard time

PubMed Central

Nur, Nurhayati Mohd; Dawal, Siti Zawiah Md; Dahari, Mahidzal; Sanusi, Junedah

2015-01-01

[Purpose] This study investigated the variations in muscle fatigue, time to fatigue, and maximum task duration at different levels of production standard time. [Methods] Twenty subjects performed repetitive tasks at three different levels of production standard time corresponding to “normal”, “hard” and “very hard”. Surface electromyography was used to measure the muscle activity. [Results] The results showed that muscle activity was significantly affected by the production standard time level. Muscle activity increased twice in percentage as the production standard time shifted from hard to very hard (6.9% vs. 12.9%). The muscle activity increased over time, indicating muscle fatigue. The muscle fatigue rate increased for the harder production standard time (Hard: 0.105; Very hard: 0.115), which indicated the associated higher risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Muscle fatigue was also found to occur earlier for hard and very hard production standard times. [Conclusion] It is recommended that the maximum task duration should not exceed 5.6, 2.9, and 2.2 hours for normal, hard, and very hard production standard times, respectively, in order to maintain work performance and minimize the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. PMID:26311974

Pentraxin-3 levels are associated with vasculitis and disease activity in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus.

PubMed

Sahin, S; Adrovic, A; Barut, K; Durmus, S; Gelisgen, R; Uzun, H; Kasapcopur, O

2017-09-01

Objectives Childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) is a multisystemic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammatory organ damage by means of vasculitis. Pentraxin-3 (PTX3) is expressed locally at the sites of inflammatory processes, predominantly from endothelial cells. In adult studies, PTX3 has shown to be an indicator of active vasculitis both in large-vessel and small-vessel vasculitides, as well as in SLE. Moreover, in SLE it has found to be correlated with disease activity, and with some of the clinical manifestations and laboratory parameters. We aimed to ascertain if PTX3 might be a significant mediator in cSLE and if it might indicate active vasculitis during the course of the disease. Methods Serum PTX3 levels were measured in 76 patients with cSLE and 41 healthy subjects. We have investigated its relation with disease activity, damage, clinical features, laboratory parameters and medications. Results Serum levels of PTX3 were found to be increased in cSLE compared to healthy controls (mean ± SD; 10.6 ± 8.2 ng/mL vs 2.7 ± 1.3 ng/mL, p < 0.001). PTX3 concentrations were also in correlation with SLEDAI-2K ( r = 0.57, p < 0.001). When viewed from the clinical perspective, serum PTX3 levels were significantly higher only in patients with active vasculitis ( p < 0.001), Raynaud phenomenon ( p = 0.006) and mucocutaneous manifestations ( p < 0.001). However, an association between PTX3 and age, age at disease onset, disease duration, complement levels, PedSDI score (pediatric version of the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index), ESR, CRP, procalcitonin levels, anti-ds DNA antibody, anticardiolipin antibodies was not detected. Conclusions Patients with cSLE have increased levels of serum PTX3 compared to healthy controls. Thus, serum PTX-3 level might be a significant mediator in cSLE. Apart from these, the results support that PTX3 reflects

Gas pressure and electron density at the level of the active zone of hollow cathode arc discharges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Minoo, M. H.

1984-01-01

A model for the longitudinal variations of the partial pressures of electrons, ions, and neutral particles is proposed as a result of an experimental study of pressure variations at the level of the active zone as a function of the various discharge parameters of a hollow cathode arc. The cathode region where the temperature passes through its maximum is called active zone. The proposed model embodies the very important variations which the partial electron and neutral particles pressures undergo at the level of the active zone.

Home and Work Physical Activity Environments: Associations with Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Physical Activity Level in French Women

PubMed Central

Oppert, Jean-Michel; Charles, Marie-Aline; Charreire, Hélène; Menai, Mehdi; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Brage, Soren; de Lauzon-Guillain, Blandine; Fagherazzi, Guy; Balkau, Beverley

2016-01-01

The influence of the physical activity environment in the home and at work on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and objectively-measured physical activity has not been extensively studied. We recruited 147 women with a (mean ± SD) age of 54 ± 7 years and without evidence of chronic disease. The physical activity environment was assessed by self-report (Assessing Levels of PHysical Activity or ALPHA questionnaire), CRF using a submaximal step test, usual physical activity using combined heart rate and accelerometry, as well as by a validated questionnaire (Recent Physical Activity Questionnaire). Summary scores of the home environment and the work environment derived from the ALPHA questionnaire were positively correlated with CRF after adjustment for age (r = 0.18, p = 0.03 and r = 0.28, p < 0.01, respectively). Women owning a bicycle or having a garden (which may prompt physical activity) had higher CRF; those with a bicycle at home also had a higher physical activity energy expenditure. Similarly, women who had access to fitness equipment at work had higher CRF. In conclusion, these results provide new insights into potential environmental influences on physical capacity and physical activity that could inform the design of physical activity promotion strategies. PMID:27537900

Playground Designs to Increase Physical Activity Levels during School Recess: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Escalante, Yolanda; García-Hermoso, Antonio; Backx, Karianne; Saavedra, Jose M.

2014-01-01

School recess provides a major opportunity to increase children's physical activity levels. Various studies have described strategies to increase levels of physical activity. The purpose of this systematic review is therefore to examine the interventions proposed as forms of increasing children's physical activity levels during recess. A…

Decreased glutathione levels and impaired antioxidant enzyme activities in drug-naive first-episode schizophrenic patients

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to determine glutathione levels and antioxidant enzyme activities in the drug-naive first-episode patients with schizophrenia in comparison with healthy control subjects. Methods It was a case-controlled study carried on twenty-three patients (20 men and 3 women, mean age = 29.3 ± 7.5 years) recruited in their first-episode of schizophrenia and 40 healthy control subjects (36 men and 9 women, mean age = 29.6 ± 6.2 years). In patients, the blood samples were obtained prior to the initiation of neuroleptic treatments. Glutathione levels: total glutathione (GSHt), reduced glutathione (GSHr) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and antioxidant enzyme activities: superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT) were determined by spectrophotometry. Results GSHt and reduced GSHr were significantly lower in patients than in controls, whereas GSSG was significantly higher in patients. GPx activity was significantly higher in patients compared to control subjects. CAT activity was significantly lower in patients, whereas the SOD activity was comparable to that of controls. Conclusion This is a report of decreased plasma levels of GSHt and GSHr, and impaired antioxidant enzyme activities in drug-naive first-episode patients with schizophrenia. The GSH deficit seems to be implicated in psychosis, and may be an important indirect biomarker of oxidative stress in schizophrenia early in the course of illness. Finally, our results provide support for further studies of the possible role of antioxidants as neuroprotective therapeutic strategies for schizophrenia from early stages. PMID:21810251

Physical activity level and associated factors among civil servants in Xi'an, China.

PubMed

Sun, Lijun; Jiang, Xun; Zhao, Xin; Zhang, Yuhai; Xu, Yongyong; Shang, Lei

2016-08-01

This study investigated physical activity levels and associated factors among civil servants in Xi'an, China, to provide reference data for the implementation of health improvement strategies among civil servants. A cross-section study. A random sample of 1000 civil servants aged 18-60 years and employed by the Xi'an civic government was assessed by using the Chinese version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Associations between physical activity and sociodemographic characteristics, family history of chronic disease, and existing disease were evaluated by the Mann-Whitney U-test, Kruskal-Wallis H-test, and binary logistic regression. The response rate was 92.4%. The median physical activity score was 2227 metabolic equivalents of task (MET) minutes per week (interquartile range [IQR]: 1308-3802METmin/week). Among the 924 participants, 7.4% did not meet minimum recommendations for physical activity, 57.3% had moderate activity levels, and 35.4% had high activity levels. Participants spent most of their time on occupational activities (median: 869METmin/week, IQR: 228-1953METmin/week). Female sex (odds ratio [OR]:0.40, 95% confidence interval [CI]:0.29-0.55), age≥51 years (OR: 0.45, 95%CI: 0.27-0.75), and family history of chronic disease (OR: 0.67, 95%CI: 0.48-0.94) were associated with significantly lower odds of a high activity level. Most civil servants in Xi'an, China, have moderate activity levels. Some have high activity levels, but few engage in vigorous-intensity physical activity. Interventions to encourage a high level of physical activity are needed, especially for women, older civil servants, and those with family histories of chronic disease. Copyright © 2015 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The built environment and physical activity levels: the Harvard Alumni Health Study.

PubMed

Lee, I-Min; Ewing, Reid; Sesso, Howard D

2009-10-01

Physical activity is associated with better health, but many individuals are insufficiently active. Modifying the built environment may be an approach capable of influencing population-wide levels of physical activity, but few data exist from longitudinal studies that can minimize bias from active people choosing activity-friendly neighborhoods. This study aims to examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between the built environment and physical activity on a large scale. This study examined cross-sectional associations between urban sprawl (mapping addresses to corresponding counties) and physical activity (self-reported) among men throughout the U.S. in 1993 and in 1988, and longitudinal associations between changes in exposure to urban sprawl for movers and physical activity, 1988-1993. Included were 4997 men (mean age, 70 years) in the 1993 cross-sectional study; 4918 men in the 1988 cross-sectional study; and 3448 men in the longitudinal study, 1988-1993. Data were collected prospectively in 1988 and 1993, and analyses were performed in 2007-2008. In cross-sectional analyses, less sprawl was significantly associated with more walking OR, comparing least with most sprawling areas, for meeting physical activity recommendations by walking=1.38 [95% CI=1.09, 1.76] in 1993 and 1.53 [1.19, 1.96] in 1988). Less sprawl also was associated with lower prevalence of overweight (corresponding OR=0.79 [0.64, 0.98] in 1993 and 0.81 [0.66, 1.00] in 1988). However, longitudinal analyses assessing change did not show that decreasing sprawl was associated with increased physical activity or decreased BMI. These findings suggest that the cross-sectional results may reflect self-selection, rather than indicating that the built environment--as measured by urban sprawl--increases physical activity. However, the longitudinal findings were limited by small numbers of men changing residence and associated sprawl levels.

Distinct effects of thrombopoietin depending on a threshold level of activated Mpl in BaF-3 cells.

PubMed

Millot, Gaël A; Vainchenker, William; Duménil, Dominique; Svinarchuk, Fédor

2002-06-01

Thrombopoietin (TPO) plays a critical role in megakaryopoiesis through binding to its receptor Mpl. This involves activation of various intracellular signaling pathways, including phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. Their precise role in TPO-mediated proliferation, survival and differentiation is not fully understood. In the present study, we show that TPO induces different biological responses in Mpl-transduced BaF-3 cells, depending on the cell surface density of Mpl and the resulting activation level of signaling pathways. TPO mediates cell proliferation in cells expressing high levels of Mpl but only mediates survival without proliferation in cells expressing low levels of the receptor. By using the kinase inhibitors PD98059 and LY294002, we further showed that the activation level of the PI3K and MAPK p42/44 pathways is a determining factor for the proliferative effect. In cells expressing low levels of Mpl, the survival effect was strongly dependent on the activation level of the PI3K/AKT, but not the MAPK p42/44 pathway. Moreover, this effect was correlated with the phosphorylation level of BAD but not with the expression level of Bcl-X(L). However, PI3K pathway inhibition did not increase apoptosis when BaF-3 cells proliferated in response to TPO, indicating a compensating mechanism from other Mpl signaling pathways in this case.

Results From the First French Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents.

PubMed

Aucouturier, Julien; Ganière, Caroline; Aubert, Salomé; Riviere, Fabien; Praznoczy, Corinne; Vuillemin, Anne; Tremblay, Mark S; Duclos, Martine; Thivel, David

2017-08-01

Many countries publish periodic Report Cards on physical activity for children and youth. This paper presents the results from the first French Report Card providing a systematic synthesis and assessment of the national engagements to facilitate childhood physical activity. A search for nationally representative data on 8 indicators of physical activity was conducted and the data were assessed by an expert panel according to international procedures. Whether children across France are achieving specific benchmarks was rated using an established grading framework [A, B, C, D, F, or INC (incomplete)]. Data were interpreted, grades assigned and detailed in the 2016 Report Card that was produced and disseminated. The expert panel awarded the following grades: Overall Physical Activity: INC; Organized Sport Participation: D; Active Transportation: D; Sedentary Behaviors: D; Family and Peers: INC; School: B; Community and the Built Environment: INC; Government Strategies and Investment: INC. The grades reveal that efforts must be done to improve youth's physical activity and that several gaps in the literature still need to be addressed. Collectively the results highlight that children's physical activity levels are low and that further national supports and investments are needed to promote childhood healthy active living in France.

Prevalence of physical activity levels by ethnicity among adults in Hawaii, BRFSS 2001.

PubMed

Mampilly, Carrie M; Yore, Michelle M; Maddock, Jay E; Nigg, Claudio R; Buchner, David; Heath, Gregory W

2005-10-01

Few studies have examined the differences in physical activity levels between subgroups of Asian or Pacific Islanders living in the United States. This study compared levels of physical activity for three subgroups of Asian or Pacific Islanders residing in Hawaii. Data on Native Hawaiian/Part Native Hawaiian (N=585), Filipino (N=548), Japanese (N=871), and White (N=1728) adults were obtained from the Hawaii 2001 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), which contained more detailed questions on ethnicity than are collected by most states. Six physical activity categories were compared: inactive, insufficient (some activity but less than recommended activity), moderate activity (> or = 30 minutes of moderate activity > or = 5 days a week), vigorous activity (> or = 20 minutes of vigorous activity > or = 3 days a week), recommended activity (meeting either moderate or vigorous activity requirements), and a recently suggested target of > or = 60 minutes of moderate activity 7 days a week or > or = 20 minutes of vigorous activity > or = 4 days a week. Among Asians or Pacific Islanders, Native Hawaiians/Part Native Hawaiians were most active (38.9% moderate and 23.9% vigorous), followed by Japanese (32.1%, 20.4%) and Filipinos (31.8%, 18.6%). Whites were more active than any of these three subgroups (47.2%, 35.4%). Differences in physical activity levels between subgroups of Asians or Pacific Islanders in Hawaii suggests that aggregated data for all subgroups obscures important information about disparities in activity levels. State efforts to reduce disparities in activity levels should take into account differences between Asian or Pacific Islander subgroups.

Influence of parity, type of delivery, and physical activity level on pelvic floor muscles in postmenopausal women

PubMed Central

Varella, Larissa Ramalho Dantas; Torres, Vanessa Braga; Angelo, Priscylla Helouyse Melo; Eugênia de Oliveira, Maria Clara; Matias de Barros, Alef Cavalcanti; Viana, Elizabel de Souza Ramalho; Micussi, Maria Thereza de Albuquerque Barbosa Cabral

2016-01-01

[Purpose] The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of parity, type of delivery, and physical activity level on pelvic floor muscles in postmenopausal women. [Subjects and Methods] This was an observational analytic cross-sectional study with a sample of 100 postmenopausal women, aged between 45 and 65 years, divided into three groups according to menopausal stage: hysterectomized and early and late postmenopause. Patients were assessed for sociodemographic and gyneco-obstetric factors and subjected to a muscle strength test and perineometry. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis and multiple regression were applied. [Results] The results showed homogeneity in sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics. There was no difference in pelvic floor muscle function among the three groups. Type of delivery, parity and physical activity level showed no influence on muscle function. [Conclusion] The findings demonstrate that parity, type of delivery, and physical activity level had no influence on pelvic floor muscle pressure in postmenopausal women. One hypothesis to explain these results is the fact that the decline in muscle function in postmenopausal women is related to the female aging process. PMID:27134366

Physical activity, but not fitness level, is associated with depression in Australian adults.

PubMed

Forsyth, A; Williams, P; Deane, F P

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the fitness and physical activity levels of people referred to a nutrition and physical activity program for the management of mental health in general practice. General practitioners referred 109 patients being treated for depression and/or anxiety to a lifestyle intervention program. All participants completed anthropometric measurements and questionnaires including the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) and the Active Australia Survey. Aerobic fitness was measured with the YMCA step test and muscular fitness was measured with repeated chair stands and arm curls. Fitness scores were compared to population norms, and physical activity levels were compared to population norms and national recommendations. Eighty percent of participants were overweight or obese. A greater proportion of study participants (51%) than the general Australian population (38%) met the recommended 150 minutes per week spent in moderate physical activity. However, participants demonstrated lower than average levels of fitness and participated in low levels of vigorous physical activity. Levels of physical activity, but not fitness, were inversely correlated with DASS scores. Patients presenting with depression and/or anxiety should be screened for physical activity behaviours and encouraged to meet the National Physical Activity Guidelines.

Children's Physical Activity Levels during Indoor Recess Dance Videos

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erwin, Heather; Koufoudakis, Ryann; Beighle, Aaron

2013-01-01

Background: Children's physical activity (PA) levels remain low, and schools are being asked to assume a leadership role in PA promotion. Research suggests outdoor recess contributes to children's overall PA levels. However, similar research is not available for indoor recess, which occurs frequently due to a variety of factors. The purpose of…

Physical Activity Levels in Portuguese High School Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marmeleira, Jose Francisco Filipe; Aldeias, Nuno Micael Carrasqueira; da Graca, Pedro Miguel dos Santos Medeira

2012-01-01

The main aim of this study was to evaluate the physical activity (PA) levels of high school Portuguese students during physical education (PE) and investigate the association of PA levels with students' goal orientation and intrinsic motivation. Forty-six students from three high schools participated. Heart rate telemetry and pedometry were used…

Movement Activity Levels on Traditional and Contemporary Playground Structures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gabbard, Carl P.; LeBlanc, Elizabeth

This study investigated playground activity levels of children in grades K-4 and compared levels of use of traditional and creative playground apparatus. The traditional playground area consisted of climbing bars, slides, ladders, chin bars, swings, see saws, and a merry-go-round. The creative playground contained tire hurdles, tire walk, tire…

Relationship between diet and physical activity level in adolescents from post-grammar schools.

PubMed

Dmitruk, Agnieszka; Kunicka, Izabela; Popławska, Helena; Hołub, Wojciech

2016-01-01

Appropriate diet and physical activity are vital determinants of psychophysical development in children and adolescents. The aim of the study was to analyse an association between dietary habits and physical activity levels of adolescents from post-grammar schools. The study included 110 girls and 65 boys between 16 and 19 years of age from two post-grammar schools in Biała Podlaska in Poland. They were subjected to a diagnostic survey providing information on their diet (number of meals a day, their regularity, frequency of bread, dairy, meat, fish, sweet, fruit, vegetable and fast food consumption, preferred ways of food processing). Physical activity levels were determined with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire--Short Form (IPAQ-SF). Based on these data, the respondents were stratified to high, moderate and low physical activity groups. Due to small number of participants presenting with low physical activity levels, we did not include this group in further analyses. The significance of differences in the dietary habits of adolescents presenting with high and moderate physical activity levels was verified with the χ2 test. Most girls and boys presented with high levels of physical activity. However, we did not find an evident relationship between dietary habits and physical activity levels. Girls from high and moderate physical activity groups differed solely in terms of the number of daily meals, frequency of meat and sweet consumption, and significant intergroup differences observed among boys pertained to the frequencies of whole-wheat bread, meat and fast food consumption. The abovementioned food products were consumed more often by girls and boys presenting with high physical activity levels. The dietary mistakes observed in physically active adolescents from post-secondary schools justify intensification of their dietary education programs.

A phosphatase threshold sets the level of Cdk1 activity in early mitosis in budding yeast

PubMed Central

Harvey, Stacy L.; Enciso, Germán; Dephoure, Noah; Gygi, Steven P.; Gunawardena, Jeremy; Kellogg, Douglas R.

2011-01-01

Entry into mitosis is initiated by synthesis of cyclins, which bind and activate cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1). Cyclin synthesis is gradual, yet activation of Cdk1 occurs in a stepwise manner: a low level of Cdk1 activity is initially generated that triggers early mitotic events, which is followed by full activation of Cdk1. Little is known about how stepwise activation of Cdk1 is achieved. A key regulator of Cdk1 is the Wee1 kinase, which phosphorylates and inhibits Cdk1. Wee1 and Cdk1 show mutual regulation: Cdk1 phosphorylates Wee1, which activates Wee1 to inhibit Cdk1. Further phosphorylation events inactivate Wee1. We discovered that a specific form of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2ACdc55) opposes the initial phosphorylation of Wee1 by Cdk1. In vivo analysis, in vitro reconstitution, and mathematical modeling suggest that PP2ACdc55 sets a threshold that limits activation of Wee1, thereby allowing a low constant level of Cdk1 activity to escape Wee1 inhibition in early mitosis. These results define a new role for PP2ACdc55 and reveal a systems-level mechanism by which dynamically opposed kinase and phosphatase activities can modulate signal strength. PMID:21849476

Cues Resulting in Desire for Sexual Activity in Women

PubMed Central

McCall, Katie; Meston, Cindy

2010-01-01

Introduction A number of questionnaires have been created to assess levels of sexual desire in women, but to our knowledge, there are currently no validated measures for assessing cues that result in sexual desire. A questionnaire of this nature could be useful for both clinicians and researchers, because it considers the contextual nature of sexual desire and it draws attention to individual differences in factors that can contribute to sexual desire. Aim The aim of the present study was to create a multidimensional assessment tool of cues for sexual desire in women that is validated in women with and without hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). Methods Factor analyses conducted on both an initial sample (N = 874) and a community sample (N = 138) resulted in the Cues for Sexual Desire Scale (CSDS) which included four factors: (i) Emotional Bonding Cues; (ii) Erotic/ Explicit Cues; (iii) Visual/Proximity Cues; and (iv) Implicit/Romantic Cues. Main Outcome Measures Scale construction of cues associated with sexual desire and differences between women with and without sexual dysfunction. Results The CSDS demonstrated good reliability and validity and was able to detect significant differences between women with and without HSDD. Results from regression analyses indicated that both marital status and level of sexual functioning predicted scores on the CSDS. The CSDS provided predictive validity for the Female Sexual Function Index desire and arousal domain scores, and increased cues were related to a higher reported frequency of sexual activity in women. Conclusions The findings from the present study provide valuable information regarding both internal and external triggers that can result in sexual desire for women. We believe that the CSDS could be beneficial in therapeutic settings to help identify cues that do and do not facilitate sexual desire in women with clinically diagnosed desire difficulties. PMID:16942529

Alcohol Attenuates Load-related Activation During a Working Memory Task: Relation to Level of Response to Alcohol

PubMed Central

Paulus, Martin P.; Tapert, Susan F.; Pulido, Carmen; Schuckit, Marc A.

2008-01-01

Background A low level of response to alcohol is a major risk factor for the development of alcohol dependence, but neural correlates of this marker are unclear. Method Ten healthy volunteers were classified by median split on level of response to alcohol and underwent 2 sessions of functional magnetic resonance imaging following ingestion of a moderate dose of alcohol and a placebo. The blood oxygen level–dependent activation to an event-related visual working memory test was examined. Results The subjects exhibited longer response latencies and more errors as a function of increasing working memory load and showed a load-dependent increase in activation in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, posterior parietal cortex, and visual cortex. Alcohol did not affect performance (errors or response latency), but attenuated the working memory load–dependent activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. During the placebo condition, individuals with a low level of response to alcohol showed greater activation in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and posterior parietal cortex than those with a high level of response to alcohol. During the alcohol condition, groups showed similar attenuation of load-dependent brain activation in these regions. Conclusion Low-level responders relative to high-level responders exhibited an increased working memory load–dependent activation in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and posterior parietal cortex when not exposed to alcohol. This increase in brain response was attenuated in low-level responders after ingesting a moderate dose of alcohol. PMID:16899039

[Impact of level of physical activity on healthcare utilization among Korean adults].

PubMed

Kim, Jiyun; Park, Seungmi

2012-04-01

This study was done to identify the impact of physical activity on healthcare utilization among Korean adults. Drawing from the 2008 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES IV-2), data from 6,521 adults who completed the Health Interview and Health Behavior Surveys were analyzed. Association between physical activity and healthcare utilization was tested using the χ²-test. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratios of using outpatient and inpatient healthcare for different levels of physical activity after adjusting for predisposing, enabling, and need factors. A generalized linear model applying a negative binomial distribution was used to determine how the level of physical activity was related to use of outpatient and inpatient healthcare. Physically active participants were 16% less likely to use outpatient healthcare (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.74-0.97) and 23% less likely to use inpatient healthcare (OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.63-0.93) than physically inactive participants. Levels of outpatient and inpatient healthcare use decreased as levels of physical activity increased, after adjusting for relevant factors. An independent association between being physically active and lower healthcare utilization was ascertained among Korean adults indicating a need to develop nursing intervention programs that encourage regular physical activity.

The Effect of Gender and Level of Vision on the Physical Activity Level of Children and Adolescents with Visual Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aslan, Ummuhan Bas; Calik, Bilge Basakci; Kitis, Ali

2012-01-01

This study was planned in order to determine physical activity levels of visually impaired children and adolescents and to investigate the effect of gender and level of vision on physical activity level in visually impaired children and adolescents. A total of 30 visually impaired children and adolescents (16 low vision and 14 blind) aged between…

Fitness levels and physical activity among class A drug users entering prison.

PubMed

Fischer, Jan; Butt, Christine; Dawes, Helen; Foster, Charlie; Neale, Joanne; Plugge, Emma; Wheeler, Carly; Wright, Nat

2012-12-01

Physical activity could benefit drug users' physiological and mental health. Previous research has suggested that physical activity levels change when drug users enter prison. Twenty-five class A drug users who were new to prison answered physical activity and drug use cross-sectional questionnaires, took a submaximal fitness test and wore a pedometer for 1 week. Participants' mean aerobic capacity was estimated as 49 mls O2/kg/min (±12 SD). Their mean self-reported walking distance outside of prison was 4.67 miles on an average day (±4.14 SD). Pedometer data suggest they walked a mean of 1.8 miles/day in prison. Many class A drug users entering prison had high levels of fitness and physical activity before admission, often gained from walking. Walking activity reduced when they entered prison, posing a challenge to maintaining healthy activity levels.

Neuropeptide Levels as well as Neprilysin Activity Decrease in Renal Cell Carcinoma.

PubMed

Erin, Nuray; İpekçi, Tümay; Akkaya, Bahar; Özbudak, İrem Hicran; Baykara, Mehmet

2016-12-01

Calcitonin Gene-related Peptide (CGRP), Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) and Substance P (SP) are sensory neuropeptides which may alter cancer growth through modulation of chronic inflammation. We recently reported that SP suppresses breast cancer growth and metastasis through neuroimmune modulation. These neuropeptides are hydrolyzed by Neprilysin (NEP) to bioactive fragments. Decreased activity of NEP was reported in clear cell and chromophobe type renal cell carcinoma (RCC). It is however not known how the levels of neuropeptides hydrolyzed with NEP changes in RCC. Decrease activity of SP and CGRP containing sensory nerve endings was previously reported to increase cancer metastasis in animal models. It is however not known how peptidergic nerve endings are altered in RCC. Hence we here evaluated the levels of neuronal and non-neuronal neuropeptides and NEP activity in RCC including papillary type as well as neighboring uninvolved kidney. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 57 patients undergoing radical nephrectomy and diagnosed with RCC. NEP activity, levels and expression were determined using flourogenic substrate, western blot and qPCR respectively in freshly-frozen tissues. Immunohistochemical analyses were also performed. Neuronal and non-neuronal levels of CGRP, SP and VIP levels were determined using two-step acetic acid extraction. Levels and activity of NEP were markedly decreased in RCC regardless of subtype. Similar levels of VIP were detected in first and second extractions. VIP levels were higher in clear cell and papillary RCC compared to nearby kidney tissue. VIP levels of neighboring kidney tissue of papillary type RCC was significantly lower compared to kidney samples from clear cell RCC. CGRP levels were higher in second extraction. Similar to VIP levels, CGRP levels of neighboring kidney tissue from clear cell and chromophobe type RCC was significantly lower compared to corresponding tumor samples, an effect observed in the second

Scholarly Activities of Family Medicine Faculty: Results of a National Survey.

PubMed

Hinojosa, Jose; Benè, Kristen L; Hickey, Colleen; Marvel, Kim

2006-12-01

This survey examined how family medicine residency programs define scholarly activity, the productivity of programs, and perceived barriers to scholarly work. Five types of residency programs are compared: university-based, community-based (unaffiliated, university-affiliated, university-administered), and military. A 13 item web-based questionnaire was sent to all 455 U. S. family medicine residency programs. The survey solicited demographic information as well as program expectations of faculty, presence of a research coordinator/director, activities considered scholarly, productivity, and perceived barriers. A total of 177 surveys were completed for a response rate of 38%, similar to response rates of web-based surveys in the literature. 67.6% of programs encouraged, but did not require scholarly activity, and 44.5% indicated their program had no research coordinator/ director. University-based programs had the highest levels of productivity compared to other program types. Primary barriers to scholarly activity noted were lack of time (73/138, 53%) and lack of supportive infrastructure (37/138, 27%). While interpretations are limited by the response rate of the survey, results provide an increased understanding of how programs define scholarly activity as well as reference points for faculty productivity. This information can help program directors when setting criteria for scholarly work.

The influence of activation level on belief bias in relational reasoning.

PubMed

Banks, Adrian P

2013-04-01

A novel explanation of belief bias in relational reasoning is presented based on the role of working memory and retrieval in deductive reasoning, and the influence of prior knowledge on this process. It is proposed that belief bias is caused by the believability of a conclusion in working memory which influences its activation level, determining its likelihood of retrieval and therefore its effect on the reasoning process. This theory explores two main influences of belief on the activation levels of these conclusions. First, believable conclusions have higher activation levels and so are more likely to be recalled during the evaluation of reasoning problems than unbelievable conclusions, and therefore, they have a greater influence on the reasoning process. Secondly, prior beliefs about the conclusion have a base level of activation and may be retrieved when logically irrelevant, influencing the evaluation of the problem. The theory of activation and memory is derived from the Atomic Components of Thought-Rational (ACT-R) cognitive architecture and so this account is formalized in an ACT-R cognitive model. Two experiments were conducted to test predictions of this model. Experiment 1 tested strength of belief and Experiment 2 tested the impact of a concurrent working memory load. Both of these manipulations increased the main effect of belief overall and in particular raised belief-based responding in indeterminately invalid problems. These effects support the idea that the activation level of conclusions formed during reasoning influences belief bias. This theory adds to current explanations of belief bias by providing a detailed specification of the role of working memory and how it is influenced by prior knowledge. Copyright © 2012 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Association of baseline level of physical activity and its temporal changes with incident hypertension and diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Lee, Jong-Young; Ryu, Seungho; Sung, Ki-Chul

2018-01-01

Background The association between baseline and temporal changes in physical activity and incident hypertension or diabetes mellitus in initially non-hypertensive or non-diabetic subjects is rarely known. Methods Among individuals who underwent consecutive comprehensive health screenings, their physical activity level was measured using a self-reported international physical activity questionnaire. First, subjects were classified into four categories: no regular physical activity with a sedentary lifestyle; minimal physical activity (<75 min/week); insufficient physical activity (≥75 min but <150 min/week); and sufficient physical activity (≥150 min/week). Second, subjects were sub-grouped, based on temporal changes in physical activity level between baseline and consecutive follow-up: increase, no change, and decrease. Results Finally, among 174,314 subjects (mean age 36.7 ± 6.9 years), 5544 (3.18%) and 21,276 (12.2%) developed incident diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension, respectively. After a multivariate adjustment, sufficient baseline physical activity was associated with significantly lower risk for incident hypertension (hazard ratio 0.89; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.81 to 0.97), but the difference was not significant, and showed a lower trend in diabetes mellitus incidence (hazard ratio 0.87; 95% CI 0.69 to 1.04) in reference to no regular physical activity group. Regardless of the baseline physical activity level, subjects with a temporal increase in physical activity showed significantly decreased risk for incident hypertension (hazard ratio 0.93; 95% CI 0.87 to 0.99) and diabetes mellitus (hazard ratio 0.83; 95% CI 0.74 to 0.92) compared with those with a temporal decrease in their physical activity level. Conclusion Both sufficient baseline physical activity level and its temporal increase were associated with a lower risk of incident hypertension and diabetes mellitus in a large, relatively healthy, cohort.

Relationships between Physical Activity Levels, Self-Identity, Body Dissatisfaction and Motivation among Spanish High School Students

PubMed Central

Sánchez-Miguel, Pedro Antonio; Leo, Francisco Miguel; Amado, Diana; Pulido, Juan José; Sánchez-Oliva, David

2017-01-01

Abstract The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between gender and the educational grade on the one hand, and physical activity levels, motivation, self-identity, body dissatisfaction, the intention to be physically active and daily sitting time on the other, in a sample of Spanish high school adolescents. The sample consisted of 2087 Spanish students from the 3rd (n = 1141) and 4th grade (n = 946), both male (n = 1046) and female (n = 1041), ranging in age from 15 to 17 years old (M = 15.42; SD = .86). Students completed questionnaires to assess their levels of physical activity, self-identity, motivation, intention to be physically active and daily sitting time. The students’ perceptions of their body height and mass were also tested. With the exception of walking MET values, the results showed gender differences in the variables tested. Male participants showed higher intrinsic motivation and lower amotivation than female participants. Furthermore, male students revealed higher levels of physical activity than female students. Finally, the research concluded with the importance of promoting intrinsic reasons for physical activity in order to encourage positive consequences in high school students. PMID:29134046

Relationships between Physical Activity Levels, Self-Identity, Body Dissatisfaction and Motivation among Spanish High School Students.

PubMed

Sánchez-Miguel, Pedro Antonio; Leo, Francisco Miguel; Amado, Diana; Pulido, Juan José; Sánchez-Oliva, David

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between gender and the educational grade on the one hand, and physical activity levels, motivation, self-identity, body dissatisfaction, the intention to be physically active and daily sitting time on the other, in a sample of Spanish high school adolescents. The sample consisted of 2087 Spanish students from the 3rd (n = 1141) and 4th grade (n = 946), both male (n = 1046) and female (n = 1041), ranging in age from 15 to 17 years old (M = 15.42; SD = .86). Students completed questionnaires to assess their levels of physical activity, self-identity, motivation, intention to be physically active and daily sitting time. The students' perceptions of their body height and mass were also tested. With the exception of walking MET values, the results showed gender differences in the variables tested. Male participants showed higher intrinsic motivation and lower amotivation than female participants. Furthermore, male students revealed higher levels of physical activity than female students. Finally, the research concluded with the importance of promoting intrinsic reasons for physical activity in order to encourage positive consequences in high school students.

Physical activity and sex hormone levels in estradiol- and placebo-treated postmenopausal women.

PubMed

Choudhury, Farzana; Bernstein, Leslie; Hodis, Howard N; Stanczyk, Frank Z; Mack, Wendy J

2011-10-01

Postmenopausal changes in the hormonal milieu in women with or without hormone therapy are hypothesized to be the pathway for a number of menopause-associated modifications in physiology and disease risk. Physical activity may modify these changes in women's hormone profiles. The crucial yet complex relationship between physical activity and physiologic and pharmacologic sex hormone levels in postmenopausal women has not been investigated sufficiently. Using structured recall, physical activity was assessed longitudinally during a period of 2 years in 194 postmenopausal women (90 randomized to 1 mg 17β-estradiol treatment daily and 104 randomized to placebo) in the Estrogen in the Prevention of Atherosclerosis Trial. The levels of physical activity were correlated with the serum sex hormone and the serum hormone-binding globulin levels in each treatment group. Among the placebo-treated women, total energy expenditure was positively associated with sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG; P < 0.001) and inversely associated with testosterones (total, bioavailable, or free) and androstenedione (P < 0.001 for all), as well as with estradiol (P = 0.02). In estradiol-treated women, estradiol levels were inversely associated with total energy expenditure (P = 0.002) and weekly hours spent in moderate or more vigorous physical activity (P = 0.001). Physical activity is associated with lower serum levels of estradiol in both hormone therapy-treated and untreated women. In placebo-treated women only, physical activity is associated with reduced androgen levels and elevated SHBG levels.

Physical activity level and medial temporal health in youth at ultra high-risk for psychosis.

PubMed

Mittal, Vijay A; Gupta, Tina; Orr, Joseph M; Pelletier-Baldelli, Andrea; Dean, Derek J; Lunsford-Avery, Jessica R; Smith, Ashley K; Robustelli, Briana L; Leopold, Daniel R; Millman, Zachary B

2013-11-01

A growing body of evidence suggests that moderate to vigorous activity levels can affect quality of life, cognition, and brain structure in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. However, physical activity has not been systematically studied during the period immediately preceding the onset of psychosis. Given reports of exercise-based neurogenesis in schizophrenia, understanding naturalistic physical activity levels in the prodrome may provide valuable information for early intervention efforts. The present study examined 29 ultra high-risk (UHR) and 27 matched controls to determine relationships between physical activity level, brain structure (hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus), and symptoms. Participants were assessed with actigraphy for a 5-day period, MRI, and structured clinical interviews. UHR participants showed a greater percentage of time in sedentary behavior while healthy controls spent more time engaged in light to vigorous activity. There was a strong trend to suggest the UHR group showed less total physical activity. The UHR group exhibited smaller medial temporal volumes when compared with healthy controls. Total level of physical activity in the UHR group was moderately correlated with parahippocampal gyri bilaterally (right: r = .44, left: r = .55) and with occupational functioning (r = -.36; of negative symptom domain), but not positive symptomatology. Results suggest that inactivity is associated with medial temporal lobe health. Future studies are needed to determine if symptoms are driving inactivity, which in turn may be affecting the health of the parahippocampal structure and progression of illness. Although causality cannot be determined from the present design, these findings hold important implications for etiological conceptions and suggest promise for an experimental trial. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Do Media Use and Physical Activity Compete in Adolescents? Results of the MoMo Study

PubMed Central

Spengler, Sarah; Mess, Filip; Woll, Alexander

2015-01-01

Purpose The displacement hypothesis predicts that physical activity and media use compete in adolescents; however, findings are inconsistent. A more differentiated approach at determining the co-occurrence of physical activity and media use behaviors within subjects may be warranted. The aim of this study was to determine the co-occurrence of physical activity and media use by identifying clusters of adolescents with specific behavior patterns including physical activity in various settings (school, sports club, leisure time) and different types of media use (watching TV, playing console games, using PC / Internet). Methods Cross-sectional data of 2,083 adolescents (11–17 years) from all over Germany were collected between 2009 and 2012 in the Motorik-Modul Study. Physical activity and media use were self-reported. Cluster analyses (Ward’s method and K-means analysis) were used to identify behavior patterns of boys and girls separately. Results Eight clusters were identified for boys and seven for girls. The clusters demonstrated that a high proportion of boys (33%) as well as girls (42%) show low engagement in both physical activity and media use, irrespective of setting or type of media. Other adolescents are engaged in both behaviors, but either physical activity (35% of boys, 27% of girls) or media use (31% of boys and girls) predominates. These adolescents belong to different clusters, whereat in most clusters either one specific setting of physical activity or a specific combination of different types of media predominates. Conclusion The results of this study support to some extent the hypothesis that media use and physical activity compete: Very high media use occurred with low physical activity behavior, but very high activity levels co-occurred with considerable amounts of time using any media. There was no evidence that type of used media was related to physical activity levels, neither setting of physical activity was related to amount of media use

34 CFR 300.814 - Other State-level activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Other State-level activities. 300.814 Section 300.814 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued) OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ASSISTANCE TO STATES FOR THE EDUCATION OF...

Capturing system level activities and impacts of mental health consumer-run organizations.

PubMed

Janzen, Rich; Nelson, Geoffrey; Hausfather, Nadia; Ochocka, Joanna

2007-06-01

Since the 1970s mental health consumer-run organizations have come to offer not only mutual support, but they have also adopted agendas for broader social change. Despite an awareness of the need for system level efforts that create supportive environments for their members, there has been limited research demonstrating how their system level activities can be documented or their impacts evaluated. The purpose of this paper is to feature a method of evaluating systems change activities and impacts. The paper is based on a longitudinal study evaluating four mental health consumer-run organizations in Ontario, Canada. The study tracked system level activities and impacts using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The article begins by describing the development and implementation of these methods. Next it offers a critical analysis of the methods used. It concludes by reflecting on three lessons learned about capturing system level activities and impacts of mental health consumer-run organizations.

Microgravity: a Teacher's Guide with Activities, Secondary Level

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vogt, Gregory L. (Editor); Wargo, Michael J. (Editor)

1992-01-01

This NASA Educational Publication is a teacher's guide that focuses on microgravity for the secondary level student. The introduction answers the question 'What is microgravity?', as well as describing gravity and creating microgravity. Following the introduction is a microgravity primer which covers such topics as the fluid state, combustion science, materials science, biotechnology, as well as microgravity and space flight. Seven different activities are described in the activities section and are written by authors prominent in the field. The concluding sections of the book include a glossary, microgravity references, and NASA educational resources.

Empirical Examinations of Effects of Three-Level Green Exercise on Engagement with Nature and Physical Activity

PubMed Central

Han, Ke-Tsung; Wang, Po-Ching

2018-01-01

Green exercise can be classified into three levels based on engagement with nature. Although this classification was proposed more than a decade ago, few studies have investigated it since. The present study examined the effects of green exercise levels on engagement with nature and physical activity (PA) through a field experiment. A questionnaire was distributed to 95 students from a technology university in Central Taiwan to measure their level of engagement with nature in people-environment transactions, while their PA was measured using three instruments. In addition, because social interaction may distract individual attention from activities or their environments, the present study incorporated the presence of partners as a control variable. The results revealed that (1) engagement with nature and PA significantly differed between the levels of green exercise, and the higher the level of green exercise participated in, the greater the level of engagement with nature; and (2) although the presence of partners did not influence the level of engagement with nature, it significantly affected the level of PA. PMID:29470447

Diet composition and activity level of at risk and metabolically healthy obese American adults.

PubMed

Hankinson, Arlene L; Daviglus, Martha L; Van Horn, Linda; Chan, Queenie; Brown, Ian; Holmes, Elaine; Elliott, Paul; Stamler, Jeremiah

2013-03-01

Obesity often clusters with other major cardiovascular disease risk factors, yet a subset of the obese appears to be protected from these risks. Two obesity phenotypes are described, (i) "metabolically healthy" obese, broadly defined as body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m(2) and favorable levels of blood pressure, lipids, and glucose; and (ii) "at risk" obese, BMI ≥ 30 with unfavorable levels of these risk factors. More than 30% of obese American adults are metabolically healthy. Diet and activity determinants of obesity phenotypes are unclear. We hypothesized that metabolically healthy obese have more favorable behavioral factors, including less adverse diet composition and higher activity levels than at risk obese in the multi-ethnic group of 775 obese American adults ages 40-59 years from the International Population Study on Macro/Micronutrients and Blood Pressure (INTERMAP) cohort. In gender-stratified analyses, mean values for diet composition and activity behavior variables, adjusted for age, race, and education, were compared between metabolically healthy and at risk obese. Nearly one in five (149/775 or 19%) of obese American INTERMAP participants were classified as metabolically healthy obese. Diet composition and most activity behaviors were similar between obesity phenotypes, although metabolically healthy obese women reported higher sleep duration than at risk obese women. These results do not support hypotheses that diet composition and/or physical activity account for the absence of cardiometabolic abnormalities in metabolically healthy obese. Copyright © 2012 The Obesity Society.

Relationship between Serum Levels of Metalloproteinase-8 and Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases-1 and Exercise Test Results in Postmenopausal Women.

PubMed

Mieczkowska, J; Rutkowska, E; Mosiewicz, J; Mosiewicz, B

2016-01-01

Physical activity as a part of the lifestyle is a significant factor influencing health condition. Exercises that require stamina are of particular importance. Oxygen metabolism, which is a significant part of all longer training processes, has an influence on cardiovascular and respiratory system functioning as well as all the processes taking part in maintenance of efficient homeostasis. Presentation of the correlation between exercise test results and MMP-8 (metalloproteinase-8) and TIMP-1 (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1) levels was attempted in this work. MMP-8 is a proteolytic enzyme taking part in progression of diseases related to process of ageing. 62 healthy women in postmenopausal period were qualified for the study (mean age: 54 ± 3.6). There was exercise test on the treadmill according to Bruce's protocol performed. MMP-8 and TIMP-1 serum levels were measured. There was statistically important correlation between increased level of MMP-8 and increased level of TIMP-1 with lower results of exercise test observed. The conducted study provides further biochemical arguments for prophylactic role of physical activity, which lowers the risk of noninfectious diseases, typical for middle adulthood, by influencing physical capacity.

Entropy Generation and Human Aging: Lifespan Entropy and Effect of Physical Activity Level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, Carlos; Annamalai, Kalyan

2008-06-01

The first and second laws of thermodynamics were applied to biochemical reactions typical of human metabolism. An open-system model was used for a human body. Energy conservation, availability and entropy balances were performed to obtain the entropy generated for the main food components. Quantitative results for entropy generation were obtained as a function of age using the databases from the U.S. Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which provide energy requirements and food intake composition as a function of age, weight and stature. Numerical integration was performed through human lifespan for different levels of physical activity. Results were presented and analyzed. Entropy generated over the lifespan of average individuals (natural death) was found to be 11,404 kJ/ºK per kg of body mass with a rate of generation three times higher on infants than on the elderly. The entropy generated predicts a life span of 73.78 and 81.61 years for the average U.S. male and female individuals respectively, which are values that closely match the average lifespan from statistics (74.63 and 80.36 years). From the analysis of the effect of different activity levels, it is shown that entropy generated increases with physical activity, suggesting that exercise should be kept to a “healthy minimum” if entropy generation is to be minimized.

Thai plants with high antioxidant levels, free radical scavenging activity, anti-tyrosinase and anti-collagenase activity.

PubMed

Chatatikun, Moragot; Chiabchalard, Anchalee

2017-11-09

Ultraviolet radiation from sunlight induces overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) resulting in skin photoaging and hyperpigmentation disorders. Novel whitening and anti-wrinkle compounds from natural products have recently become of increasing interest. The purpose of this study was to find products that reduce ROS in 14 Thai plant extracts. To determine total phenolic and flavonoid content, antioxidant activity, anti-tyrosinase activity and anti-collagenase activity, we compared extracts of 14 Thai plants prepared using different solvents (petroleum ether, dichloromethane and ethanol). Antioxidant activities were determined by DPPH and ABTS assays. Total phenolic content of the 14 Thai plants extracts was found at the highest levels in ethanol followed by dichloromethane and petroleum ether extracts, respectively, while flavonoid content was normally found in the dichloromethane fraction. Scavenging activity ranged from 7 to 99% scavenging as assessed by DPPH and ABTS assays. The ethanol leaf extract of Ardisia elliptica Thunb. had the highest phenolic content, antioxidant activity and collagenase inhibition, while Cassia alata (L.) Roxb. extract had the richest flavonoid content. Interestingly, three plants extracts, which were the ethanolic fractions of Annona squamosa L., Ardisia elliptica Thunb. and Senna alata (L.) Roxb., had high antioxidant content and activity, and significantly inhibited both tyrosinase and collagenase. Our finding show that the ethanol fractions of Annona squamosa L., Ardisia elliptica Thunb. and Senna alata (L.) Roxb. show promise as potential ingredients for cosmetic products such as anti-wrinkle agents and skin whitening products.

Canadian population trends in leisure-time physical activity levels, 1981-1998.

PubMed

Bruce, Marny J; Katzmarzyk, Peter T

2002-12-01

Age, sex, geographic and temporal trends in leisure-time physical activity levels were examined using data from five national surveys conducted between 1981 and 1998. Physical activity energy expenditure (AEE) was higher among men compared to women, and in younger versus older adults. AEE increased from Eastern to Western Canada, with a significant temporal trend of increasing AEE. The prevalence of physical inactivity (expending <12.6 kJ x kg(-1) x day(-1) has decreased; however, it remains high (women: 77%; men: 74%). The high prevalence of physical inactivity emphasizes the importance of population-level physical activity surveillance and interventions.

Activation Levels, Handling, and Storage of Activated Components in the Target Hall at FRIB

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Georgobiani, D.; Bennett, R.; Bollen, G.; Kostin, M.; Ronningen, R.

2018-06-01

The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) is a major new scientific user facility under construction in the United States for nuclear science research with beams of rare isotopes. 400 kW beam operations with heavy ions ranging from oxygen to uranium will create a high radiation environment for many components, particularly for the beam line components located in the target hall, where approximately 100 kW of beam power are dissipated in the target and another 300 kW are dissipated in the beam dump. Detailed studies of the component activation, their remote handling, storage, and transport, have been performed to ensure safe operation levels in this environment. Levels of activation are calculated for the beam line components within the FRIB target hall.

Relationship between the built environment and physical activity levels: The Harvard Alumni Health Study

PubMed Central

Lee, I-Min; Ewing, Reid; Sesso, Howard D.

2009-01-01

Background Physical activity is associated with better health, but many individuals are insufficiently active. Modifying the built environment may be an approach capable of influencing population-wide levels of physical activity, but few data exist from longitudinal studies that can minimize bias from active persons choosing activity-friendly neighborhoods. This is the first large-scale study to examine longitudinal changes in the built environment and physical activity. Methods This study examined cross-sectional associations between urban sprawl (mapping addresses to corresponding counties) and physical activity (self-reported) among men throughout the US in 1993 and in 1988, and longitudinal associations between changes in exposure to urban sprawl for movers and physical activity, 1988-1993. Included were 4,997 men (mean age, 70 years) in the 1993 cross-sectional study; 4,918 men in the 1988 cross-sectional study; and 3,448 men in the longitudinal study, 1988-1993. Data were collected prospectively in 1988 and 1993, and analyses were performed in 2007-2008. Results In cross-sectional analyses, less sprawl was significantly associated with more walking (odds ratios (OR), comparing least with most sprawling areas, for meeting physical activity recommendations by walking = 1.38 [95% confidence interval = 1.09, 1.76] in 1993 and 1.53 [1.19, 1.96] in 1988). Less sprawl also was associated with lower prevalence of overweight (corresponding OR = 0.79 [0.64, 0.98] in 1993 and 0.81 [0.66-1.00] in 1988). However, longitudinal analyses assessing change did not show that decreasing sprawl was associated with increased physical activity or decreased body mass index. Conclusions These findings suggest that the cross-sectional results may reflect self-selection, rather than indicating that the built environment – as measured by urban sprawl – increases physical activity. However, the longitudinal findings were limited by small numbers of men changing residence and

Physical activity levels and preferences of ethnically diverse visitors to Georgia State Parks

Treesearch

Lincoln Larson; Jason W. Whiting; Gary T. Green; Michael Bowker

2014-01-01

Parks provide many outdoor recreation opportunities that encourage physical activity and healthy lifestyles, and research has recently begun to explore the demographic, social, and environmental factors associated with park-based activity levels, particularly outside of urban areas. This study used a mixed methods approach to investigate physical activity levels and...

The effect of a behaviour change intervention on the diets and physical activity levels of women attending Sure Start Children's Centres: results from a complex public health intervention.

PubMed

Baird, Janis; Jarman, Megan; Lawrence, Wendy; Black, Christina; Davies, Jenny; Tinati, Tannaze; Begum, Rufia; Mortimore, Andrew; Robinson, Sian; Margetts, Barrie; Cooper, Cyrus; Barker, Mary; Inskip, Hazel

2014-07-15

The UK government's response to the obesity epidemic calls for action in communities to improve people's health behaviour. This study evaluated the effects of a community intervention on dietary quality and levels of physical activity of women from disadvantaged backgrounds. Non-randomised controlled evaluation of a complex public health intervention. 527 women attending Sure Start Children's Centres (SSCC) in Southampton (intervention) and 495 women attending SSCCs in Gosport and Havant (control). Training SSCC staff in behaviour change skills that would empower women to change their health behaviours. Main outcomes dietary quality and physical activity. Intermediate outcomes self-efficacy and sense of control. 1-year post-training, intervention staff used skills to support behaviour change significantly more than control staff. There were statistically significant reductions of 0.1 SD in the dietary quality of all women between baseline and follow-up and reductions in self-efficacy and sense of control. The decline in self-efficacy and control was significantly smaller in women in the intervention group than in women in the control group (adjusted differences in self-efficacy and control, respectively, 0.26 (95% CI 0.001 to 0.50) and 0.35 (0.05 to 0.65)). A lower decline in control was associated with higher levels of exposure in women in the intervention group. There was a statistically significant improvement in physical activity in the intervention group, with 22.9% of women reporting the highest level of physical activity compared with 12.4% at baseline, and a smaller improvement in the control group. The difference in change in physical activity level between the groups was not statistically significant (adjusted difference 1.02 (0.74 to 1.41)). While the intervention did not improve women's diets and physical activity levels, it had a protective effect on intermediate factors-control and self-efficacy-suggesting that a more prolonged exposure to the

Recreational physical activity levels in healthy older women: the importance of fear of falling.

PubMed

Bruce, David G; Devine, Amanda; Prince, Richard L

2002-01-01

To examine whether fear of falling is a probable cause of reduced recreational physical activity levels in healthy older women. Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a longitudinal study. One thousand five hundred older, ambulatory women (aged 70-85), selected at random from the electoral roll. Self-reported recreational physical activity levels and fear of falling, demographic variables, anthropometric variables and measures of disability, and physical and cognitive function. The study subjects had low levels of physical and cognitive impairments; 24.1% of the group was obese (body mass index> 30). Twenty-six percent of the women did not participate in recreational physical activity; 39% participated in sufficient activity to gain probable health benefits. Although the women who did not participate in recreational activities were most likely to report fear of falling (45.2%), it was common in the group as a whole (33.9%), including the most active women (27.0%). Independent risk factors for nonparticipation in physical activity were fear of falling (odds ratio (OR)=0.70, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.54-0.90, P=.006), obesity (OR=0.50, 95% CI=0.38-0.66, P=.001), and slower times on the timed up-and-go test (OR=0.88, 95% CI=0.84-0.92, P=.001). Fear of falling was also independently associated with lower recreational physical activity levels in women who were active (beta=-0.09, P=.003). Subgroup analysis suggested that fear of falls affected activity levels at a predisability stage in women with mildly impaired mobility. Fear of falling is common in healthy, high-functioning older women and is independently associated with reduced levels of participation in recreational physical activity. Fear of falling is an important psychological barrier that may need to be overcome in programs attempting to improve activity levels in older women.

Physical activity level in people with age related white matter changes correlates to better motor performance, lower comorbidity and higher cognitive level.

PubMed

Pettersson, Anna F; Wahlund, Lars-Olof; Bronge, Lena; Olsson, Elisabeth; Amberla, Kaarina; Baezner, Hansjoerg; Crisby, Milita

2017-07-12

Physical activity plays a pivotal role in the development of disability and may modify the negative effect of vascular risk factors on progression of both cardio and cerebrovascular disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity level in people with age-related white matter changes as identified on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in relation to motor performance, cognition and perceived health. Data came from the first year follow up of one participating centers of the LADIS study. Fifty one subjects were first enrolled in the study. Complete first year follow up data was available for 41 subjects. Information on comorbidity, physical activity level, physical function, cognition, level of white matter changes and perceived health was collected. Physical activity level was classified with a yes or no question and with the Frenchay Activities Index (FAI). Only 36% of the subjects in this study were physically active according to the yes/no question. 27.5% of the subjects were active according to the FAI score which evaluates the everyday activities. Being active discriminated subjects with better physical function. Subjects active according to the FAI score had a higher cognitive level (p ≤ 0.01), lower comorbidity (p = 0.02) and performed better on all motor function tasks as assessed by walking speed (p ≤ 0.01) and the Short Physical Performance battery (SPPB) (p ≤ 0.01). Being physically active seems to be a long term protective factor. In our study, the majority of subjects with Age Related White Mattter Changes (ARWMC) with no or mild Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (IADL) disability did not attain recommended level of activity at first year follow up. Whether or not increasing physical activity may slow down cognitive decline and lessen development of disability in physically inactive subjects with manifest ARWC remains to be studied. not applicable.

Cost-effectiveness of population-level physical activity interventions: a systematic review.

PubMed

Laine, Johanna; Kuvaja-Köllner, Virpi; Pietilä, Eija; Koivuneva, Mikko; Valtonen, Hannu; Kankaanpää, Eila

2014-01-01

This systematic review synthesizes the evidence on the cost-effectiveness of population-level interventions to promote physical activity. A systematic literature search was conducted between May and August 2013 in four databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus. Only primary and preventive interventions aimed at promoting and maintaining physical activity in wide population groups were included. An economic evaluation of both effectiveness and cost was required. Secondary interventions and interventions targeting selected population groups or focusing on single individuals were excluded. Interventions were searched for in six different categories: (1) environment, (2) built environment, (3) sports clubs and enhanced access, (4) schools, (5) mass media and community-based, and (6) workplace. The systematic search yielded 2058 articles, of which 10 articles met the selection criteria. The costs of interventions were converted to costs per person per day in 2012 U.S. dollars. The physical activity results were calculated as metabolic equivalent of task hours (MET-hours, or MET-h) gained per person per day. Cost-effectiveness ratios were presented as dollars per MET-hours gained. The intervention scale and the budget impact of interventions were taken into account. The most efficient interventions to increase physical activity were community rail-trails ($.006/MET-h), pedometers ($.014/MET-h), and school health education programs ($.056/MET-h). Improving opportunities for walking and biking seems to increase physical activity cost-effectively. However, it is necessary to be careful in generalizing the results because of the small number of studies. This review provides important information for decision makers.

Radiative, actively cooled panel tests results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shore, C. P.; Nowak, R. J.; Sharpe, E. L.

1978-01-01

The radiative, actively cooled panel designed to withstand a uniform incident heat flux of 136 kW/sq m to a 444 K surface temperature was evaluated. The test program consisted of preliminary static thermal mechanical loading and aerothermal flow tests. Test results are briefly discussed.

A couple-level analysis of participation in physical activity during unemployment.

PubMed

Gough, Margaret

2017-12-01

There is a well-documented negative correlation between unemployment and health. Yet, little research has examined how unemployment relates to participation in physical activity, and few researchers have considered how an individual's unemployment may affect the health of their spouse or partner. The purpose of this study is to answer three questions: 1. Is one's own unemployment associated with changes in physical activity participation? 2. Is one's partner's unemployment associated with changes in physical activity participation? 3. Do changes in physical activity behaviors associated with unemployment differ by gender? This study uses nationally representative, longitudinal data on couples in the United States, covering the period 1999-2013. These data, obtained from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, are used to estimate fixed-effects models of the relationships between one's own, and one's partner's, unemployment and participation in physical activity. I find that for men unemployment is not associated with changes in physical activity time. For women, own unemployment is associated with increases in physical activity, whereas a partner's unemployment is associated with decreases in physical activity. I argue that unemployed women, unlike men, are able to take advantage of the increased availability of time through reduced labor supply to invest in their health during unemployment, which could have positive long-run consequences. Results suggest the importance of studying unemployment and health at the household level and suggest a need for further investigation into gender differences in unemployment and health.

Results From Venezuela's 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth.

PubMed

Herrera-Cuenca, Marianella; Méndez-Perez, Betty; Morales, Vanessa Castro; Martín-Rojo, Joana; Tristan, Bianca; Bandy, Amilid Torín; Landaeta-Jiménez, Maritza; Macías-Tomei, Coromoto; López-Blanco, Mercedes

2016-11-01

The Venezuelan Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth is the first assessment of information related to physical activity in Venezuela. It provides a compilation of existing information throughout the country and assesses how well it is doing at promoting opportunities for children and youth. The aim of this article is to summarize the information available. Thirteen physical activity indicators were graded by a committee of experts using letters A to F (A, the highest, to F, the lowest) based on national surveys, peer review studies, and policy documents. Some indicators report incomplete information or a lack of data. Overweight and Obesity were classified as A; Body Composition and Nongovernmental Organization Policies as B; Municipal Level Policies as C; and Overall Physical Activity Levels and National Level Policies as D. 63% of children and youth have low physical activity levels. Venezuela needs to undergo a process of articulation between the several existing initiatives, and for said purposes, political will and a methodological effort is required. Investments, infrastructure, and opportunities will be more equal for all children and youth if more cooperation between institutions is developed and communication strategies are applied.

Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Time Differ According to Education Level in Young Adults

PubMed Central

Kantomaa, Marko T.; Tikanmäki, Marjaana; Kankaanpää, Anna; Vääräsmäki, Marja; Sipola-Leppänen, Marika; Ekelund, Ulf; Hakonen, Harto; Järvelin, Marjo-Riitta; Kajantie, Eero; Tammelin, Tuija H.

2016-01-01

This study examined the association of education level with objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time in young adults. Data from the Finnish ESTER study (2009–2011) (n = 538) was used to examine the association between educational attainment and different subcomponents of physical activity and sedentary time measured using hip-worn accelerometers (ActiGraph GT1M) for seven consecutive days. Overall physical activity, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), light-intensity physical activity and sedentary time were calculated separately for weekdays and weekend days. A latent profile analysis was conducted to identify the different profiles of sedentary time and the subcomponents of physical activity. The educational differences in accelerometer-measured physical activity and sedentary time varied according to the subcomponents of physical activity, and between weekdays and weekend days. A high education level was associated with high MVPA during weekdays and weekend days in both sexes, high sedentary time during weekdays in both sexes, and a low amount of light-intensity physical activity during weekdays in males and during weekdays and weekend days in females. The results indicate different challenges related to unhealthy behaviours in young adults with low and high education: low education is associated with a lack of MVPA, whereas high education is associated with a lack of light-intensity physical activity and high sedentary time especially during weekdays. PMID:27403958

Decline in physical activity level in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study cohort.

PubMed

Wilson, Carmen L; Stratton, Kayla; Leisenring, Wendy L; Oeffinger, Kevin C; Nathan, Paul C; Wasilewski-Masker, Karen; Hudson, Melissa M; Castellino, Sharon M; Stovall, Marilyn; Armstrong, Gregory T; Brinkman, Tara M; Krull, Kevin R; Robison, Leslie L; Ness, Kirsten K

2014-08-01

We aimed to identify demographic and health-related predictors of declining physical activity levels over a four-year period among participants in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. Analyses included 7,287 ≥5-year childhood cancer survivors and 2,107 siblings who completed multiple follow-up questionnaires. Participants were classified as active if they met the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for physical activity. Generalized linear models were used to compare participants whose physical activity levels declined from active to inactive over the study to those who remained active. In addition, selected chronic conditions (CTCAE v4.03 Grade 3 and 4) were evaluated as risk factors in an analysis limited to survivors only. The median age at last follow-up among survivors and siblings was 36 (range, 21-58) and 38 (range, 21-62) years, respectively. The rate of decline did not accelerate over time among survivors when compared with siblings. Factors that predicted declining activity included body mass index ≥30 kg/m(2) [RR = 1.32; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.19-1.46, P < 0.01], not completing high school (RR = 1.31; 95% CI, 1.08-1.60, P < 0.01), and female sex (RR = 1.33; 95% CI, 1.22-1.44, P < 0.01). Declining physical activity levels were associated with the presence of chronic musculoskeletal conditions (P = 0.034), but not with the presence of cardiac (P = 0.10), respiratory (P = 0.92), or neurologic conditions (P = 0.21). Interventions designed to maximize physical activity should target female, obese, and less educated survivors. Survivors with chronic musculoskeletal conditions should be monitored, counseled, and/or referred for physical therapy. Clinicians should be aware of low activity levels among subpopulations of childhood cancer survivors, which may heighten their risk for chronic illness. ©2014 American Association for Cancer Research.

Levels and Characteristics of Physical Activity among a College Student Cohort

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Kim; Staten, Ruth R.; Rayens, Mary Kay; Noland, Melody

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess physical activity levels and the relationships between activity and personal characteristics among a cohort of college students and to determine personal characteristics that predict activity. A sample of 1,700 undergraduates was mailed a survey that requested demographic information and assessed health…

Motion-base simulator results of advanced supersonic transport handling qualities with active controls

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feather, J. B.; Joshi, D. S.

1981-01-01

Handling qualities of the unaugmented advanced supersonic transport (AST) are deficient in the low-speed, landing approach regime. Consequently, improvement in handling with active control augmentation systems has been achieved using implicit model-following techniques. Extensive fixed-based simulator evaluations were used to validate these systems prior to tests with full motion and visual capabilities on a six-axis motion-base simulator (MBS). These tests compared the handling qualities of the unaugmented AST with several augmented configurations to ascertain the effectiveness of these systems. Cooper-Harper ratings, tracking errors, and control activity data from the MBS tests have been analyzed statistically. The results show the fully augmented AST handling qualities have been improved to an acceptable level.

African American Preschool Children's Physical Activity Levels in Head Start

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shen, Bo; Reinhart-Lee, Tamara; Janisse, Heather; Brogan, Kathryn; Danford, Cynthia; Jen, K-L. C.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the physical activity levels of urban inner city preschoolers while attending Head Start, the federally funded preschool program for children from low-income families. Participants were 158 African American children. Their physical activity during Head Start days was measured using programmed RT-3…

The Role of Various Curriculum Models on Physical Activity Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Culpepper, Dean O.; Tarr, Susan J.; Killion, Lorraine E.

2011-01-01

Researchers have suggested that physical education curricula can be highly effective in increasing physical activity levels at school (Sallis & Owen, 1999). The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of various curriculum models on physical activity. Total steps were measured on 1,111 subjects and three curriculum models were studied…

Net superoxide levels: steeper increase with activity in cooler female and hotter male lizards.

PubMed

Ballen, Cissy; Healey, Mo; Wilson, Mark; Tobler, Michael; Wapstra, Erik; Olsson, Mats

2012-03-01

Ectotherms increase their body temperature in response to ambient heat, thereby elevating their metabolic rate. An often inferred consequence of this is an overall upregulation of gene expression and energetic expenditure, and a concomitant increased production of reactive oxygen species (e.g. superoxide) and, perhaps, a shortened lifespan. However, recent work shows that this may be a superficial interpretation. For example, sometimes a reduced temperature may in fact trigger up-regulation of gene expression. We studied temperature and associated activity effects in male and female Australian painted dragon lizards (Ctenophorus pictus) by allowing the lizards to bask for 4 h versus 12 h, and scoring their associated activity (inactive versus active basking and foraging). As predicted, long-basking lizards (hereafter 'hot') showed heightened activity in both sexes, with a more pronounced effect in females. We then tested for sex-specific effects of basking treatment and activity levels on the increase in net levels of superoxide. In males, short-baskers (hereafter 'cold') had significantly more rapidly decreasing levels of superoxide per unit increasing activity than hot males. In females, however, superoxide levels increased faster with increasing activity in the cold than in the hot basking treatment, and females earlier in the ovarian cycle had lower superoxide levels than females closer to ovulation. In short, males and females differ in how their levels of reactive oxygen species change with temperature-triggered activity.

Exergame Apps and Physical Activity: The Results of the ZOMBIE Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowdery, Joan; Majeske, Paul; Frank, Rebecca; Brown, Devin

2015-01-01

Background: Although there are thousands of health and fitness smartphone apps currently available, little research exists regarding the effects of mobile app technology on physical activity behavior. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test whether Exergame smartphone applications increase physical activity levels. Methods: This was a…

Lipoprotein(a), tissue plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 levels in hyperlipidaemic patients in Kuwait.

PubMed

Akanji, A O; Abdullah, A; Tahzeeb, S

1997-05-01

Plasma levels of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) were assessed in addition to anthropometry and levels of glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and apo A1 and B in 73 patients (36 men and 37 women) with primary hyperlipidaemia (group NDHL) in Kuwait. Lp(a) levels (212 mg L-1, 8-600 mg L-1, median and range) were similar to those obtained in a matched group of 32 non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients with hyperlipidaemia (218 mg L-1, 50-610 mg L-1) and slightly higher, although not significantly so (P = 0.06), than levels seen in 68 healthy normolipidaemic control subjects (182 mg L-1, 70-488 mg L-1). tPA levels (8.4 ng mL-1, 3.8-18.4 ng mL-1, median and range) in group NDHL were lower than in the diabetic group (11.4 ng mL-1, 5.2-14.2 ng mL-1) but higher than in the healthy control subjects (7.4 ng mL-1, 2.8-12.6 ng mL-1). PAI-1 levels in group NDHL (40.4 ng mL-1, 8.6-55 ng mL-1, median and range) were higher than in the control subjects (32.5 ng mL-1, 14.6-46.4 ng mL-1) but lower than in diabetic patients (43.8 ng mL-1, 15.6-55 ng mL-1). Hyperlipidaemia phenotype (hypercholesterolaemia or hypertriglyceridaemia) did not influence tPA and PAI-1 levels, but Lp(a) levels were significantly lower with hypertriglyceridaemia. Gender, cigarette smoking and racial origin (Kuwaitis, other Arabs or South Asians) did not affect Lp(a), tPA and PAI-1 levels, but tPA levels were higher in postmenopausal subjects. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (whether in total cholesterol or as apo B) correlated significantly (P < 0.05) with Lp(a) levels. tPA levels were correlated with age and the plasma levels of glucose and uric acid (P < 0.05); this correlation with glucose may explain the high levels associated with diabetes, whereas the age association might account not only for the differences observed between group NDHL

Intimate stimuli result in fronto-parietal activation changes in anorexia nervosa.

PubMed

van Zutphen, L; Maier, S; Siep, N; Jacob, G A; Tüscher, O; van Elst, L Tebartz; Zeeck, A; Arntz, A; O'Connor, M-F; Stamm, H; Hudek, M; Joos, Andreas

2018-02-03

Intimacy is a key psychological problem in anorexia nervosa (AN). Empirical evidence, including neurobiological underpinnings, is however, scarce. In this study, we evaluated various emotional stimuli including intimate stimuli experienced in patients with AN and non-patients, as well as their cerebral response. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was conducted using stimuli with positive, neutral, negative and intimate content. Participants (14 AN patients and 14 non-patients) alternated between passive viewing and explicit emotion regulation. Intimate stimuli were experienced less positively in AN patients compared to non-patients. AN patients showed decreased cerebral responses in superior parietal cortices in response to positive and intimate stimuli. Intimate stimuli led to stronger activation of the orbitofrontal cortex, and lower activation of the bilateral precuneus in AN patients. Orbitofrontal responses decreased in AN patients during explicit emotion regulation. These results show that intimate stimuli are of particular importance in AN patients, who show experiential differences compared to non-patients and altered activation of orbitofrontal and parietal brain structures. This supports that AN patients have difficulties with intimacy, attachment, self-referential processing and body perception. Level III, case-control study.

Measuring the level of activity in community built bio-ontologies.

PubMed

Malone, James; Stevens, Robert

2013-02-01

In this paper we explore the measurement of activity in ontology projects as an aspect of community ontology building. When choosing whether to use an ontology or whether to participate in its development, having some knowledge of how actively that ontology is developed is an important issue. Our knowledge of biology grows and changes and an ontology must adapt to keep pace with those changes and also adapt with respect to other ontologies and organisational principles. In essence, we need to know if there is an 'active' community involved with a project or whether a given ontology is inactive or moribund. We explore the use of additions, deletions and changes to ontology files, the regularity and frequency of releases, and the number of ontology repository updates to an ontology as the basis for measuring activity in an ontology. We present our results of this study, which show a dramatic range of activity across some of the more prominent community ontologies, illustrating very active and mature efforts through to those which appear to have become dormant for a number of possible reasons. We show that global activity within the community has remained at a similar level over the last 2 years. Measuring additions, deletions and changes, together with release frequency, appear to be useful metrics of activity and useful pointers towards future behaviour. Measuring who is making edits to ontologies is harder to capture; this raises issues of record keeping in ontology projects and in micro-credit, although we have identified one ontologist that appears influential across many community efforts; a Super-Ontologist. We also discuss confounding factors in our activity metric and discuss how it can be improved and adopted as an assessment criterion for community ontology development. Overall, we show that it is possible to objectively measure the activity in an ontology and to make some prediction about future activity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spelling for Writing: Student Activity Book. Level 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peet, Howard

The Level 5 activity book is designed to help children learn that writing messages and stories will help them see the value of learning to spell. The workbook's program is based on the ideas that accurate spelling contributes to the clarity of written messages; spelling accuracy shows attention to detail, sending a positive message to teachers and…

[Physical activity levels among Colombian adults: inequalities by gender and socioeconomic status].

PubMed

González, Silvia; Lozano, Óscar; Ramírez, Andrea; Grijalba, Carlos

2014-01-01

Worldwide studies show inequalities in physical activity levels related to socio-demographic characteristics. In Colombia, among the countries in Latin America with the highest inequality, the evidence related to inequalities in physical activity is limited. It is imperative to identify disparities in physical activity in the country, to guide the design of public policies aimed at promoting physical activity. 1) To estimate the prevalence and associated factors of meeting physical activity recommendations; 2) to assess inequalities by gender and socioeconomic status in meeting physical activity recommendations, and 3) to assess the trends in physical activity prevalence within a five-year period. A secondary analysis of data from the 2010 National Nutrition Survey was conducted. The sample included 27,243 adults. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to measure leisure time and transport domains. Socioeconomic status was measured by the Sisben level. Compared to men, women were less likely to meet physical activity recommendations in all domains. Compared to adults from high socioeconomic-status households, low socioeconomic-status adults had a lower prevalence of meeting physical activity recommendations during leisure time and the highest prevalence of using a bicycle for transport. The factors associated with meeting physical activity recommendations differed by gender and physical activity domain. Household and individual variables explained 13.6% of the inequalities observed by gender, and 23.2% of the inequalities by socioeconomic status. In a five-year period, the prevalence of physical activity in leisure time decreased, while the physical activity of walking for transport increased and biking for transport did not change. Future interventions to increase physical activity levels in Colombia must consider inequalities by gender and socioeconomic status. Of special concern is the low prevalence of meeting physical activity

Low physical activity levels and functional decline in individuals with lung cancer.

PubMed

Granger, Catherine L; McDonald, Christine F; Irving, Louis; Clark, Ross A; Gough, Karla; Murnane, Andrew; Mileshkin, Linda; Krishnasamy, Meinir; Denehy, Linda

2014-02-01

Physical activity has been infrequently measured objectively in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We aimed to investigate levels of physical activity, functional and patient reported outcomes at diagnosis and over six months in participants with recently diagnosed NSCLC and compare results with both physical activity guidelines and outcomes of similar-aged healthy individuals. This prospective observational study assessed 50 individuals from three Australian tertiary hospitals with stage I-IIIB NSCLC at diagnosis, then 10 weeks and six months later. Thirty five healthy individuals without cancer were assessed once. Outcome measures included tri-axial accelerometery (number of steps per day), six minute walk distance (6MWD), muscle strength and questionnaires including health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Individuals with NSCLC were engaged in significantly less physical activity than similar-aged healthy individuals, with 60% not meeting physical activity guidelines. At diagnosis they had worse quadriceps strength, nutritional status and HRQoL. Over six months, participants with NSCLC experienced decline in self-reported physical activity, 6MWD and muscle strength, and worsening symptoms. At diagnosis individuals with NSCLC engage in less physical activity, are weaker and more depressed than healthy individuals and their self-reported physical activity declines over six months. Future studies are required to investigate the efficacy of interventions to increase physical activity. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Circulating prolactin level in systemic lupus erythematosus and its correlation with disease activity: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Song, G G; Lee, Y H

2017-10-01

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between circulating prolactin level and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and to establish a correlation between plasma/serum prolactin levels and SLE activity. Methods We performed a meta-analysis comparing the plasma/serum prolactin levels in patients with SLE to controls, and examined correlation coefficients between circulating prolactin level and SLE disease activity. Results Twenty-five studies with a total of 1056 SLE patients and 426 controls were included. Prolactin levels were significantly higher overall in the SLE group than in the control group (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.987, 95% CI = 0.512-1.463, p = 4.7 × 10 -5 ). Stratification by ethnicity showed significantly elevated prolactin levels in the SLE group in Asian, Latin American, and mixed populations (SMD = 0.813, 95% CI = 0.137-1.490, p = 0.018; SMD = 0.981, 95% CI = 0.307-1.655, p = 0.004; SMD = 1.469, 95% CI = 0.443-2.495, p = 0.005, respectively), but not in the European population. Subgroup analysis by sample size showed significantly higher prolactin levels in the SLE group by small ( n < 30) and large sample numbers ( n > 30). Meta-analysis of correlation coefficients showed a significantly positive correlation between circulating prolactin level and SLE activity (correlation coefficient = 0.379, 95% CI = 0.026-0.487, p = 4.0 × 10 -9 ). Circulating prolactin levels were positively associated with SLE activity in European, Asian, and mixed populations (SMD = 0.532, 95% CI = 0.443-0.609  p < 1.0 × 10 -8 ; SMD = 0.427, 95% CI = 0.240-0.583, p = 2.4 × 10 -5 ; SMD = 0.433, 95% CI = 0.212-0.591, p = 2.7 × 10 -5 , respectively). Conclusions Our meta-analysis demonstrated that circulating prolactin levels are higher in patients with SLE, and that a significantly positive correlation exists between

High fat diet feeding results in gender specific steatohepatitis and inflammasome activation.

PubMed

Ganz, Michal; Csak, Timea; Szabo, Gyongyi

2014-07-14

To develop an animal model that encompasses the different facets of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which has been a challenge. In this study, we used a high fat diet (HFD) feeding supplemented with fructose and sucrose in the water mimicking the high-fructose corn syrup that is abundant in the diet in the United States. We used C57Bl/6 wild-type mice for short and long-term feedings of 6 and 16 wk respectively, and evaluated the extent of liver damage, steatosis, and inflammasome activation. Our methods included histopathological analysis to assess liver damage and steatosis, which involved H and E and oil-red-o staining; biochemical studies to look at ALT and triglyceride levels; RNA analysis using quantitative polymerase chain reaction; and cytokine analysis, which included the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method to look at interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) levels. Furthermore, at each length of feeding we also looked at insulin resistance and glucose tolerance using insulin tolerance tests (ITT) and glucose tolerance tests. There was no insulin resistance, steatosis, or inflammasome activation at 6 wk. In contrast, at 16 wk we found significant insulin resistance demonstrated by impaired glucose and ITT in male, but not female mice. In males, elevated alanine aminotransferase and triglyceride levels, indicated liver damage and steatosis, respectively. Increased liver TNFα and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 mRNA and protein, correlated with steatohepatitis. The inflammasome components, adaptor molecule, Aim2, and NOD-like receptor 4, increased at the mRNA level, and functional inflammasome activation was indicated by increased caspase-1 activity and IL-1β protein levels in male mice fed a long-term HFD. Male mice on HFD had increased α-smooth muscle actin and pro-collagen-1 mRNA indicating evolving fibrosis. In contrast, female mice displayed only elevated triglyceride levels, steatosis, and no fibrosis. Our data

Validation of the human activity profile questionnaire as a measure of physical activity levels in older community-dwelling women.

PubMed

Bastone, Alessandra de Carvalho; Moreira, Bruno de Souza; Vieira, Renata Alvarenga; Kirkwood, Renata Noce; Dias, João Marcos Domingues; Dias, Rosângela Corrêa

2014-07-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of the Human Activity Profile (HAP) by comparing scores with accelerometer data and by objectively testing its cutoff points. This study included 120 older women (age 60-90 years). Average daily time spent in sedentary, moderate, and hard activity; counts; number of steps; and energy expenditure were measured using an accelerometer. Spearman rank order correlations were used to evaluate the correlation between the HAP scores and accelerometer variables. Significant relationships were detected (rho = .47-.75, p < .001), indicating that the HAP estimates physical activity at a group level well; however, scatterplots showed individual errors. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to determine HAP cutoff points on the basis of physical activity level recommendations, and the cutoff points found were similar to the original HAP cutoff points. The HAP is a useful indicator of physical activity levels in older women.

Physical activity levels of economically disadvantaged women living in the Olympic city of Rio de Janeiro.

PubMed

de Sousa-Mast, Fabiana R; Reis, Arianne C; Sperandei, Sandro; Gurgel, Luilma A; Vieira, Marcelo C; Pühse, Uwe

2016-07-01

The objective of this study was to analyze the physical activity patterns of women living in a low-income community located in close proximity to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Park. Data (N = 140) were collected in June and July 2012 using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Findings indicated that the majority (54.8%) of participants reported high levels of physical activity. The domains that contributed the most to this pattern were occupational and household physical activity. Significantly, 88.1% of participants reported low physical activity levels during their leisure-time. In the transport-related domain, participants were relatively more active, but more than half of them (57%) spent less than 600 MET-minutes/week in this domain. The results highlighted the discrepancies between different physical activity domains. In addition, the findings also suggested that low-income women in our study engaged little in physical activity during their leisure time. Therefore, the proposed commitments found in the Rio de Janeiro Candidature File to host the 2016 Olympic Games to increase sport/physical activity participation within low-income communities in Rio de Janeiro need to be implemented effectively if this physical activity behavior during self-directed time is to be changed.

Results From Portugal's 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth.

PubMed

Mota, Jorge; E Silva, Manuel Joâo Coelho; Raimundo, Armando M; Sardinha, Luís B

2016-11-01

This article describes the procedures and development of the first Portuguese Report Card on Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents. Comprehensive searches for data related to indicators of physical activity (PA) were completed by a committee of physical activity and sports specialists. Grades were assigned to each indicator consistent with the process and methodology outlined by the Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card model. Nine indicators of PA were graded. The following grades were assigned: Overall Physical Activity Levels, D; Organized Sport Participation, B; Active Play, D; Active Transportation, C; Sedentary Behaviors, D; Family and Peers, C; Schools, B; Community and the Built Environment, D; and Government, C. Portuguese children and adolescents do not reach sufficient physical activity levels and spend larger amounts of time spent in sedentary behaviors compared with recommendations. Effective policies of PA promotion and implementation are needed in different domains of young people's daily lives.

Can activity traps assess aquatic insect abundance at the landscape level?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boobar, L.R.; Gibbs, K.E.; Longcore, J.R.

1994-01-01

We used activity traps as designed by Riley and Bookhout (1990. Wetlands) to sample aquatic invertebrates as part of a study to characterize wetlands on a forested and an agricultural landscape (ca. 1,000 mi'2) in northern. Maine. Eight wetlands (5 from agricultural and 3 from forested landscapes) were sampled at random from 50 wetlands surveyed for waterfowl broods. At the landscape level, insect abundance (mean no./ trap), fish abundance (mean no./trap), percent vegetation, and water chemistry variables (pH, ANC, SPCOND, Ca, Mg, K, Na, Cl) were different between landscapes. Furthermore, nearly as many fish (2,112) were caught as were insects (2,443); 47% of the 332 traps contained fish, but 84 traps accounted for 94% of the fish caught. When >4 fish were in a trap fewer insects were in the trap. Differences in water temperature among wetlands and differences in rates of escape among insect orders affected the number of different taxa caught. Until capture success of activity traps is better understood, results from activity traps should be used with care.

Levels of physical activity in patients with severe psoriasis: a cross-sectional questionnaire study.

PubMed

Torres, Tiago; Alexandre, José Manuel; Mendonça, Denisa; Vasconcelos, Carlos; Silva, Berta Martins; Selores, Manuela

2014-04-01

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with increased cardiovascular mortality, secondary to the increased prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and premature atherosclerosis. Physical activity is a vital component in prevention and management of cardiovascular disease. Few studies have examined the level of physical activity in psoriasis patients, using validated questionnaires or other objective assessment tools. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare physical activity undertaken by patients with severe psoriasis and healthy controls, using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-S), a validated instrument for assessing physical activity. Ninety patients with severe plaque-type psoriasis and 160 healthy subjects were enrolled in the present study. Physical activity was evaluated using IPAQ-S. Psoriasis patients had reduced levels of physical activity compared with non-psoriasis patients, regardless of sex or whether the variable was continuous or categorical. The odds ratio for low-level physical activity for psoriasis patients, compared with controls, was 3.42 (95% CI 1.47-7.91), indicating that this severe psoriasis population did not undertake recommended levels of physical activity. Psoriasis patients exhibit decreased levels of physical activity, possibly for both psychological and physiological reasons. The lack of physical activity may contribute to the increased risk of cardiovascular disease in psoriasis patients, in addition to the intrinsic risks related to systemic inflammation and psoriasis-linked comorbidities. Regular physical activity should be encouraged in all psoriasis patients because of its beneficial effects on systemic inflammation and cardiometabolic comorbidities associated with psoriasis.

Pharmacological activation of LXRs decreases amyloid-β levels in Niemann-Pick type C model cells.

PubMed

Stefulj, Jasminka; Peric, Maja; Malnar, Martina; Kosicek, Marko; Schweinzer, Cornelia; Zivkovic, Jelena; Scholler, Monika; Panzenboeck, Ute; Hecimovic, Silva

2013-01-01

Niemann-Pick type C disease (NPC) is an inherited disorder mainly caused by loss-of-function mutations in the NPC1 gene, that lead to intracellular cholesterol accumulation and disturbed cholesterol homeostasis. Similarly to Alzheimer's disease (AD), NPC is associated with progressive neurodegeneration and altered metabolism of amyloid precursor protein (APP). Liver X receptors (LXRs), the key transcriptional regulators of cholesterol homeostasis, were reported to play neuroprotective roles in NPC mice. We investigated the impacts of LXRs on APP metabolism in mutant CHO cells lacking the NPC1 gene (-NPC1 cells). Pharmacological activation of LXRs in -NPC1 cells tended to reduce the ratio of total secreted APP (sAPP) to full length APP (flAPP) levels and sAPPβ levels as well as to increase the ratio of APP Cterminal fragments to flAPP levels, resulting in decreased levels of amyloid β (Aβ) peptides. -NPC1 cells treated with LXR agonist TO901317 (TO90) displayed a modest increase in cholesterol efflux to apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) but not to HDL3, or in the absence of extracellular cholesterol acceptors. The observed similar reduction of Aβ levels upon TO90 treatment in the presence or in the absence of extracellular apoA-I indicated a cholesterol-efflux independent effect of TO90 on Aβ levels. Furthermore, TO90 had no effect on the cholesterol synthesis rate in -NPC1 cells, while it reduced the rate of cholesterol esterification. The obtained results indicate that LXR activation may decrease Aβ levels in NPC1- deficient conditions. The underlying mechanism of this action does not appear to be related to effects on cholesterol efflux or synthesis rates.

Low levels of physical activity are associated with dysregulation of energy intake and fat mass gain over 1 year12

PubMed Central

Shook, Robin P; Hand, Gregory A; Drenowatz, Clemens; Hebert, James R; Paluch, Amanda E; Blundell, John E; Hill, James O; Katzmarzyk, Peter T; Church, Timothy S; Blair, Steven N

2015-01-01

Background: Previous studies suggest that appetite may be dysregulated at low levels of activity, creating an energy imbalance that results in weight gain. Objective: The aim was to examine the relation between energy intake, physical activity, appetite, and weight gain during a 1-y follow-up period in a large sample of adults. Design: Participants included 421 individuals (mean ± SD age: 27.6 ± 3.8 y). Measurements included the following: energy intake with the use of interviewer-administered dietary recalls and calculated by using changes in body composition and energy expenditure, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with the use of an arm-based monitor, body composition with the use of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and questionnaire-derived perceptions of dietary restraint, disinhibition, hunger, and control of eating. Participants were grouped at baseline into quintiles of MVPA (min/d) by sex. Measurements were repeated every 3 mo for 1 y. Results: At baseline, an inverse relation existed between body weight and activity groups, with the least-active group (15.7 ± 9.9 min MVPA/d, 6062 ± 1778 steps/d) having the highest body weight (86.3 ± 13.2 kg) and the most-active group (174.5 ± 60.5 min MVPA/d, 10260 ± 3087 steps/d) having the lowest body weight (67.5 ± 11.0 kg). A positive relation was observed between calculated energy intake and activity group, except in the lowest quintile of activity. The lowest physical activity group reported higher levels of disinhibition (P = 0.07) and cravings for savory foods (P = 0.03) compared with the group with the highest level of physical activity. Over 1 y of follow-up, the lowest activity group gained the largest amount of fat mass (1.7 ± 0.3 kg) after adjustment for change in MVPA and baseline fat mass. The odds of gaining >3% of fat mass were between 1.8 and 3.8 times as high for individuals in the least-active group as for those in the middle activity group. Conclusions: These results suggest

Indoor Levels of Formaldehyde and Other Pollutants and Relationship to Air Exchange Rates and Human Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huangfu, Y.; O'Keeffe, P.; Kirk, M.; Walden, V. P.; Lamb, B. K.; Jobson, B. T.

2017-12-01

This paper reports results on an indoor air quality study conducted on six homes in summer and winter, contrasting indoor and outdoor concentrations of O3, CO, CO2, NOx, PM2.5, and selected volatile organic hydrocarbons measured by PTR-MS. Data were collected as 1 minute averages. Air exchange rates of the homes were determined by CO2 tracer release. Smart home sensors, recording human activity level in various places in the home, and window and doors openings, were utilized to better understand the link between human activity and indoor air pollution. From our study, averaged air exchange rates of the homes ranged from 0.2 to 1.2 hour-1 and were greatly affected by the ventilation system type and window and door openings. In general, a negative correlation between air exchange rate and indoor VOCs levels was observed, with large variation of pollutant levels between the homes. For most of the VOCs measured in the house, including formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, summer levels were much higher than winter levels. In some homes formaldehyde levels displayed a time of day variation that was linked to changes in indoor temperature. During a wildfire period in the summer of 2015, outdoor levels of PM2.5, formaldehyde, and benzene dramatically increased, significantly impacting indoor levels due to infiltration. Human activities, such as cooking, can significantly change the levels of most of the compounds measured in the house and the levels can be significantly elevated for short periods of time, with peak levels can be several orders higher compared with typical levels. The data suggest that an outcome of state energy codes that require new homes to be energy efficient, and as a consequence built with lower air exchange rates, will be unacceptable levels of air toxics, notably formaldehyde.

Effect of psoriasis activity and topical treatment on serum lipocalin-2 levels.

PubMed

Baran, A; Świderska, M; Myśliwiec, H; Flisiak, I

2017-03-01

Psoriasis has been considered as systemic disorder. Lipocalin-2 might be a link between psoriasis and its comorbidities. Aim of the study was to investigate the associations between serum lipocalin-2 levels and the disease activity, markers of inflammation or metabolic disturbances and changes after topical treatment in psoriatic patients. Thirty-seven individuals with active plaque-type psoriasis and 15 healthy controls were recruited. Blood samples were collected before and after 14 days of therapy. Serum lipocalin-2 concentrations were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results were correlated with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), body mass index (BMI), inflammatory and biochemical markers, lipid profile and with effectiveness of topical treatment. Lipocalin-2 serum levels were significantly increased in psoriatic patients in comparison to the controls (p = 0.023). No significant correlations with indicators of inflammation, nor BMI or PASI were noted. A statistical association between lipocalin-2 and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol was shown. After topical treatment serum lipocalin-2 level did not significantly change (p = 0.9), still remaining higher than in the controls, despite clinical improvement. Lipocalin-2 might be a marker of psoriasis and convey cardiovascular or metabolic risk in psoriatic patients, but may not be a reliable indicator of inflammation, severity of psoriasis nor efficacy of antipsoriatic treatment.

A measurement error model for physical activity level as measured by a questionnaire with application to the 1999-2006 NHANES questionnaire.

PubMed

Tooze, Janet A; Troiano, Richard P; Carroll, Raymond J; Moshfegh, Alanna J; Freedman, Laurence S

2013-06-01

Systematic investigations into the structure of measurement error of physical activity questionnaires are lacking. We propose a measurement error model for a physical activity questionnaire that uses physical activity level (the ratio of total energy expenditure to basal energy expenditure) to relate questionnaire-based reports of physical activity level to true physical activity levels. The 1999-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey physical activity questionnaire was administered to 433 participants aged 40-69 years in the Observing Protein and Energy Nutrition (OPEN) Study (Maryland, 1999-2000). Valid estimates of participants' total energy expenditure were also available from doubly labeled water, and basal energy expenditure was estimated from an equation; the ratio of those measures estimated true physical activity level ("truth"). We present a measurement error model that accommodates the mixture of errors that arise from assuming a classical measurement error model for doubly labeled water and a Berkson error model for the equation used to estimate basal energy expenditure. The method was then applied to the OPEN Study. Correlations between the questionnaire-based physical activity level and truth were modest (r = 0.32-0.41); attenuation factors (0.43-0.73) indicate that the use of questionnaire-based physical activity level would lead to attenuated estimates of effect size. Results suggest that sample sizes for estimating relationships between physical activity level and disease should be inflated, and that regression calibration can be used to provide measurement error-adjusted estimates of relationships between physical activity and disease.

Effect of season and high ambient temperature on activity levels and patterns of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos).

PubMed

McLellan, Michelle L; McLellan, Bruce N

2015-01-01

Understanding factors that influence daily and annual activity patterns of a species provides insights to challenges facing individuals, particularly when climate shifts, and thus is important in conservation. Using GPS collars with dual-axis motion sensors that recorded the number of switches every 5 minutes we tested the hypotheses: 1. Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) increase daily activity levels and active bout lengths when they forage on berries, the major high-energy food in this ecosystem, and 2. Grizzly bears become less active and more nocturnal when ambient temperature exceeds 20°C. We found support for hypothesis 1 with both male and female bears being active from 0.7 to 2.8 h longer in the berry season than in other seasons. Our prediction under hypothesis 2 was not supported. When bears foraged on berries on a dry, open mountainside, there was no relationship between daily maximum temperature (which varied from 20.4 to 40.1°C) and the total amount of time bears were active, and no difference in activity levels during day or night between warm (20.4-27.3°C) and hot (27.9-40.1°C) days. Our results highlight the strong influence that food acquisition has on activity levels and patterns of grizzly bears and is a challenge to the heat dissipation limitation theory.

Effect of Season and High Ambient Temperature on Activity Levels and Patterns of Grizzly Bears (Ursus arctos)

PubMed Central

McLellan, Michelle L.; McLellan, Bruce N.

2015-01-01

Understanding factors that influence daily and annual activity patterns of a species provides insights to challenges facing individuals, particularly when climate shifts, and thus is important in conservation. Using GPS collars with dual-axis motion sensors that recorded the number of switches every 5 minutes we tested the hypotheses: 1. Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) increase daily activity levels and active bout lengths when they forage on berries, the major high-energy food in this ecosystem, and 2. Grizzly bears become less active and more nocturnal when ambient temperature exceeds 20°C. We found support for hypothesis 1 with both male and female bears being active from 0.7 to 2.8 h longer in the berry season than in other seasons. Our prediction under hypothesis 2 was not supported. When bears foraged on berries on a dry, open mountainside, there was no relationship between daily maximum temperature (which varied from 20.4 to 40.1°C) and the total amount of time bears were active, and no difference in activity levels during day or night between warm (20.4–27.3°C) and hot (27.9–40.1°C) days. Our results highlight the strong influence that food acquisition has on activity levels and patterns of grizzly bears and is a challenge to the heat dissipation limitation theory. PMID:25692979

How does the activity level of the parents influence their children's activity? The contemporary life in a world ruled by electronic devices.

PubMed

Brzęk, Anna; Strauss, Markus; Przybylek, Bianca; Dworrak, Tarja; Dworrak, Birgit; Leischik, Roman

2018-01-01

Apart from many positive changes associated with technical civilization, there are also - from the health point of view - some threats. The reduction in the level of physical activity is one of them. The aim of the study was to investigate whether there are any relationships between children's physical activity and behaviors, and to assess the impact of the adults' activity on their children's habits. The study involved a group of 340 children aged 7-12 years (mean age: 9.81 ±1.7) and their parents. In order to evaluate children's physical activity and the amount of time that they spend with electronic devices, an original questionnaire and the IPAQ questionnaire were used. Children usually use electronic devices between 2 and 7 days per week (mean: 4.74 ±0.86), regardless of sex ( p > 0.09) and spend between 5 and 1620 min per week (mean: 459.46 ±308.1) with their mobile phone, tablet, PCs and TVs. 67.92% of boys and 69.61% of girls lead an active lifestyle. The children's activity level depends on their parents' level of activity ( p < 0.000001). Parents of semi-active children lead a lifestyle with a moderate level of physical activity. The level of physical activity in younger children depends on the children's relationship with their parents and their level of activity. Children spend a lot of free time with their electronic devices. It is necessary to develop and implement activities intended to raise awareness of children and their families about the effects of hypokinesis.

Modulation of neuronal oscillatory activity in the beta- and gamma-band is associated with current individual anxiety levels.

PubMed

Schneider, Till R; Hipp, Joerg F; Domnick, Claudia; Carl, Christine; Büchel, Christian; Engel, Andreas K

2018-05-26

Human faces are among the most salient visual stimuli and act both as socially and emotionally relevant signals. Faces and especially faces with emotional expression receive prioritized processing in the human brain and activate a distributed network of brain areas reflected, e.g., in enhanced oscillatory neuronal activity. However, an inconsistent picture emerged so far regarding neuronal oscillatory activity across different frequency-bands modulated by emotionally and socially relevant stimuli. The individual level of anxiety among healthy populations might be one explanation for these inconsistent findings. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis whether oscillatory neuronal activity is associated with individual anxiety levels during perception of faces with neutral and fearful facial expressions. We recorded neuronal activity using magnetoencephalography (MEG) in 27 healthy participants and determined their individual state anxiety levels. Images of human faces with neutral and fearful expressions, and physically matched visual control stimuli were presented while participants performed a simple color detection task. Spectral analyses revealed that face processing and in particular processing of fearful faces was characterized by enhanced neuronal activity in the theta- and gamma-band and decreased activity in the beta-band in early visual cortex and the fusiform gyrus (FFG). Moreover, the individuals' state anxiety levels correlated positively with the gamma-band response and negatively with the beta response in the FFG and the amygdala. Our results suggest that oscillatory neuronal activity plays an important role in affective face processing and is dependent on the individual level of state anxiety. Our work provides new insights on the role of oscillatory neuronal activity underlying processing of faces. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Population-Level Exposure to Particulate Air Pollution during Active Travel: Planning for Low-Exposure, Health-Promoting Cities

PubMed Central

Hankey, Steve; Lindsey, Greg; Marshall, Julian D.

2016-01-01

Background: Providing infrastructure and land uses to encourage active travel (i.e., bicycling and walking) are promising strategies for designing health-promoting cities. Population-level exposure to air pollution during active travel is understudied. Objectives: Our goals were a) to investigate population-level patterns in exposure during active travel, based on spatial estimates of bicycle traffic, pedestrian traffic, and particulate concentrations; and b) to assess how those exposure patterns are associated with the built environment. Methods: We employed facility–demand models (active travel) and land use regression models (particulate concentrations) to estimate block-level (n = 13,604) exposure during rush-hour (1600–1800 hours) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. We used the model-derived estimates to identify land use patterns and characteristics of the street network that are health promoting. We also assessed how exposure is correlated with indicators of health disparities (e.g., household income, proportion of nonwhite residents). Our work uses population-level rates of active travel (i.e., traffic flows) rather than the probability of walking or biking (i.e., “walkability” or “bikeability”) to assess exposure. Results: Active travel often occurs on high-traffic streets or near activity centers where particulate concentrations are highest (i.e., 20–42% of active travel occurs on blocks with high population-level exposure). Only 2–3% of blocks (3–8% of total active travel) are “sweet spots” (i.e., high active travel, low particulate concentrations); sweet spots are located a) near but slightly removed from the city-center or b) on off-street trails. We identified 1,721 blocks (~ 20% of local roads) where shifting active travel from high-traffic roads to adjacent low-traffic roads would reduce exposure by ~ 15%. Active travel is correlated with population density, land use mix, open space, and retail area; particulate concentrations were

Smoking, activity level and exercise test outcomes in a young population sample without cardiopulmonary disease.

PubMed

Vozoris, N T; O'donnell, D E

2015-01-01

Whether reduced activity level and exercise intolerance precede the clinical diagnosis of cardiopulmonary disorders in smokers is not known. We examined activity level and exercise test outcomes in a young population-based sample without overt cardiopulmonary disease, differentiating by smoking history. This was a multiyear cross-sectional study using United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 1999-2004. Self-reported activity level and incremental exercise treadmill testing were obtained on survey participants ages 20-49 years, excluding individuals with cardio-pulmonary disease. Three thousand seven hundred and one individuals completed exercise testing. Compared to never smokers, current smokers with >10 pack years reported significantly higher odds of little or no recreation, sport, or physical activity (adjusted OR 1.62; 95% CI 1.12-2.35). Mean perceived exertion ratings (Borg 6-20) at an estimated standardized workload were significantly greater among current smokers (18.3-18.6) compared to never (17.3) and former smokers (17.9) (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in the proportions of individuals across estimated peak oxygen uptake categories among the groups after adjusting for age and sex. Among former smokers, increasing duration of smoking abstinence was associated with significantly lower likelihood of low estimated peak oxygen uptake categorization (p<0.05). Among young individuals without overt cardiopulmonary disease, current smokers had reduced daily activity and higher perceived exertion ratings. Besides supporting early smoking cessation, these results set the stage for future studies that examine mechanisms of activity restriction in young smokers and the utility of measures of activity restriction in the earlier diagnosis of smoking-related diseases.

The activation of metabotropic glutamate 5 receptors in the rat ventral tegmental area increases dopamine extracellular levels.

PubMed

Ferrada, Carla; Sotomayor-Zárate, Ramón; Abarca, Jorge; Gysling, Katia

2017-01-01

The mesocorticolimbic circuit projects to the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, and nucleus accumbens, among others, and it originates in the dopaminergic neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA). The VTA receives glutamatergic inputs from the prefrontal cortex and several subcortical regions. The glutamate released activates dopaminergic neurons and its action depends on the activation of ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors. VTA dopaminergic neurons release dopamine (DA) from axon terminals in the innervated regions and somatodendritically in the VTA itself. DA release in the VTA is directly correlated with the activity of dopaminergic neurons. We hypothesized that metabotropic glutamate 5 receptors (mGlu5) directly regulate the activity of VTA dopaminergic neurons. To test this hypothesis, the extracellular levels of VTA DA and glutamate were studied by in-vivo microdialysis after an intra-VTA perfusion of (R,S)-2-chloro-5-hydroxyphenylglycine (CHPG), selective mGlu5 agonist. We observed that CHPG induced a significant increase in VTA DA and glutamate extracellular levels. To determine whether the effect of CHPG on DA levels is because of the increase in glutamate release, we perfused kynurenic acid, an ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonist, through the probe. Our results showed that kynurenic acid did not block the ability of CHPG to cause DA release. Thus, our results suggest that CHPG acts directly on mGlu5 in dopaminergic neurons to induce the release of DA.

Adult total wellness: group differences based on sitting time and physical activity level

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background An increasing body of evidence associates a high level of sitting time with poor health outcomes. The benefits of moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activities to various aspects of health are now well documented; however, individuals may engage in moderate-intensity physical activity for at least 30 minutes on five or more days of the week and still exhibit a high level of sitting time. This purpose of this study was to examine differences in total wellness among adults relative to high/low levels of sitting time combined with insufficient/sufficient physical activity (PA). The construct of total wellness incorporates a holistic approach to the body, mind and spirit components of life, an approach which may be more encompassing than some definitions of health. Methods Data were obtained from 226 adult respondents (27 ± 6 years), including 116 (51%) males and 110 (49%) females. Total PA and total sitting time were assessed with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) (short-version). The Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle Inventory was used to assess total wellness. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was utilised to assess the effects of the sitting time/physical activity group on total wellness. A covariate was included to partial out the effects of age, sex and work status (student or employed). Cross-tabulations were used to show associations between the IPAQ derived high/low levels of sitting time with insufficient/sufficient PA and the three total wellness groups (i.e. high level of wellness, moderate wellness and wellness development needed). Results The majority of the participants were located in the high total sitting time and sufficient PA group. There were statistical differences among the IPAQ groups for total wellness [F (2,220) = 32.5 (p <0.001)]. A Chi-square test revealed a significant difference in the distribution of the IPAQ categories within the classification of wellness [χ2 (N = 226) = 54.5, p < .001

Serum human chorionic gonadotropin levels and thyroid hormone levels in gestational transient thyrotoxicosis: Is the serum hCG level useful for differentiating between active Graves' disease and GTT?

PubMed

Yoshihara, Ai; Noh, Jaeduk Yoshimura; Mukasa, Koji; Suzuki, Miho; Ohye, Hidemi; Matsumoto, Masako; Kunii, Yo; Watanabe, Natsuko; Suzuki, Nami; Kameda, Toshiaki; Sugino, Kiminori; Ito, Koichi

2015-01-01

Gestational transient thyrotoxicosis (GTT) is defined as transient thyrotoxicosis caused by the stimulating effect of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) during pregnancy. We attempted to identify the serum hCG level that causes GTT, and we compared the serum hCG levels and thyroid hormone levels of GTT patients according to whether they had a background of thyroid disease. We also evaluated serum hCG as a parameter for differentiating between active Graves' disease (GD) and GTT. We reviewed the 135 cases of pregnant women who came to our hospital to be evaluated for thyrotoxicosis during their 7th to 14th week of pregnancy, and their serum hCG level was measured at that time. Among the 135 pregnant women with thyrotoxicosis; 103 of the women had GTT, and the other 32 women had active GD. There were no correlations between their serum hCG levels and free thyroid hormone levels. There were no significant differences in thyroid hormone levels or hCG levels among the GTT groups with different thyroid disease backgrounds; i.e., the GTT group without thyroid disease, GTT group with chronic thyroiditis, GTT group with non-functioning thyroid nodules, and GTT group with GD in remission. The serum hCG level of the GTT group was significantly higher than in the active GD group, but it was not a good parameter for differentiating between the two groups. The FT3/FT4 ratio of the active GD was significantly higher than in GTT group, and was a better parameter for differentiation.

Physical activity level in Achilles tendinosis is associated with blood levels of pain-related factors: a pilot study.

PubMed

Bagge, J; Gaida, J E; Danielson, P; Alfredson, H; Forsgren, S

2011-12-01

Physical activity affects the pain symptoms for Achilles tendinosis patients. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and their receptors have been detected in human Achilles tendon. This pilot study aimed to compare serum BDNF and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor I (sTNFRI) levels in Achilles tendinosis patients and healthy controls and to examine the influence of physical activity, and BMI and gender, on these levels. Physical activity was measured with a validated questionnaire, total physical activity being the parameter analyzed. Physical activity was strongly correlated with BDNF among tendinosis women [Spearman's rho (ρ)=0.90, P<0.01] but not among control women (ρ=-0.08, P=0.83), or among tendinosis and control men. Physical activity was significantly correlated with sTNFRI in the entire tendinosis group and among tendinosis men (ρ=0.65, P=0.01), but not in the entire control group or among control men (ρ=0.04, P=0.91). Thus, the physical activity pattern is related to the TNF and BDNF systems for tendinosis patients but not controls, the relationship being gender dependent. This is new information concerning the relationship between physical activity and Achilles tendinosis, which may be related to pain for the patients. This aspect should be further evaluated using larger patient materials. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

The Effects of Altered Membrane Cholesterol Levels on Sodium Pump Activity in Subclinical Hypothyroidism.

PubMed

Roy, Suparna; Dasgupta, Anindya

2017-03-01

Metabolic dysfunctions characteristic of overt hypothyroidism (OH) start at the early stage of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH). Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase (the sodium pump) is a transmembrane enzyme that plays a vital role in cellular activities in combination with membrane lipids. We evaluated the effects of early changes in thyroid hormone and membrane cholesterol on sodium pump activity in SCH and OH patients. In 32 SCH patients, 35 OH patients, and 34 euthyroid patients, sodium pump activity and cholesterol levels in red blood cell membranes were measured. Serum thyroxine (T₄) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Differences in their mean values were analysed using post hoc analysis of variance. We assessed the dependence of the sodium pump on other metabolites by multiple regression analysis. Sodium pump activity and membrane cholesterol were lower in both hypothyroid groups than in control group, OH group exhibiting lower values than SCH group. In SCH group, sodium pump activity showed a significant direct dependence on membrane cholesterol with an inverse relationship with serum TSH levels. In OH group, sodium pump activity depended directly on membrane cholesterol and serum T₄ levels. No dependence on serum cholesterol was observed in either case. Despite the presence of elevated serum cholesterol in hypothyroidism, membrane cholesterol contributed significantly to maintain sodium pump activity in the cells. A critical reduction in membrane cholesterol levels heralds compromised enzyme activity, even in the early stage of hypothyroidism, and this can be predicted by elevated TSH levels alone, without any evident clinical manifestations. Copyright © 2017 Korean Endocrine Society

How the Venus flytrap actively snaps: hydrodynamic measurements at the cellular level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colombani, Mathieu; Forterre, Yoel; GEP Team

2012-11-01

Although they lack muscle, plants have evolved a remarkable range of mechanisms to create rapid motion, from the rapid folding of sensitive plants to seed dispersal. Of these spectacular examples that have long fascinated scientists, the carnivorous plant Venus flytrap, whose leaves snap together in a fraction of second to capture insects, has long been a paradigm for study. Recently, we have shown that this motion involves a snap-buckling instability due to the shell-like geometry of the leaves of the trap. However, the origin of the movement that allows the plant to cross the instability threshold and actively bend remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigate this active motion using a micro-fluidic pressure probe that gives direct hydraulic and mechanical measurements at the cellular level (osmotic pressure, cell membrane permeability, cell wall elasticity). Our results challenge the role of osmotically-driven water flows usually put forward to explain Venus flytrap's active closure.

Taste-active compound levels in Korean native chicken meat: The effects of bird age and the cooking process.

PubMed

Jayasena, Dinesh D; Jung, Samooel; Kim, Hyun Joo; Yong, Hae In; Nam, Ki Chang; Jo, Cheorun

2015-08-01

The effects of bird age and the cooking process on the levels of several taste-active compounds, including inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP), glutamic acid, cysteine, reducing sugars, as well as oleic, linoleic, arachidonic, and docosahexaenoic acids (DHA), in the breast and leg meats from a certified meat-type commercial Korean native chicken (KNC) strain (Woorimatdag) were investigated. KNC cocks were raised under similar standard conditions at a commercial chicken farm, and breast and leg meats from birds of various ages (10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 wk; 10 birds/age group) were obtained. After raw and cooked meat samples were prepared, they were analyzed for the aforementioned taste-active compounds. Compared to the leg meat, KNC breast meat had higher levels of IMP, arachidonic acid, and DHA, but lower levels of the other taste-active compounds (P < 0.05). KNC meat lost significant amounts of all the taste-active compounds, excluding oleic and linoleic acids, during the cooking process (P < 0.05). However, bird age only had a minor effect on the levels of these taste-active compounds. The results of this study provide useful information regarding the levels of taste-active compounds in KNC meat from birds of different ages, and their fate during the cooking process. This information could be useful for selection and breeding programs, and for popularizing native chicken meat. © 2015 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Flow cytometric analysis reveals the high levels of platelet activation parameters in circulation of multiple sclerosis patients.

PubMed

Morel, Agnieszka; Rywaniak, Joanna; Bijak, Michał; Miller, Elżbieta; Niwald, Marta; Saluk, Joanna

2017-06-01

The epidemiological studies confirm an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in multiple sclerosis, especially prothrombotic events directly associated with abnormal platelet activity. The aim of our study was to investigate the level of blood platelet activation in the circulation of patients with chronic phase of multiple sclerosis (SP MS) and their reactivity in response to typical platelets' physiological agonists. We examined 85 SP MS patients diagnosed according to the revised McDonald's criteria and 50 healthy volunteers as a control group. The platelet activation and reactivity were assessed using flow cytometry analysis of the following: P-selectin expression (CD62P), activation of GP IIb/IIIa complex (PAC-1 binding), and formation of platelet microparticles (PMPs) and platelet aggregates (PA) in agonist-stimulated (ADP, collagen) and unstimulated whole blood samples. Furthermore, we measured the level of soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin) in plasma using ELISA method, to evaluate the in vivo level of platelet activation, both in healthy and SP MS subjects. We found a statistically significant increase in P-selectin expression, GP IIb/IIIa activation, and formation of PMPs and PA, as well as in unstimulated and agonist-stimulated (ADP, collagen) platelets in whole blood samples from patients with SP MS in comparison to the control group. We also determined the higher sP-selectin level in plasma of SP MS subjects than in the control group. Based on the obtained results, we might conclude that during the course of SP MS platelets are chronically activated and display hyperreactivity to physiological agonists, such as ADP or collagen.

Results From Zimbabwe's 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth.

PubMed

Manyanga, Taru; Makaza, Daga; Mahachi, Carol; Mlalazi, Tholumusa F; Masocha, Vincent; Makoni, Paul; Tapera, Eberhard; Khumalo, Bhekuzulu; Rutsate, Sipho H; Tremblay, Mark S

2016-11-01

The report card was a synthesis of the best available evidence on the performance of Zimbabwean children and youth on key physical activity (PA) indicators. The aim of this article was to summarize the results from the 2016 Zimbabwe Report Card. The Report Card Working Group gathered and synthesized the best available evidence, met, discussed and assigned grades to 10 indicators based on the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance global matrix grading system. The indicators were graded as follows: overall PA (C+), organized sport participation (B), active play (D+), active transportation (A-), sedentary behaviors (B), school (D), family and peers (Incomplete), community and the built environment (F), government (D) and nongovernmental organizations (Incomplete). Although the majority of children used active transport, played organized sports and engaged in acceptable levels of PA, most of them did not meet the recommended hours of unstructured/unorganized play per day. At present, there are limited data to accurately inform the Zimbabwe Report Card therefore studies employing robust research designs with representative samples are needed. Zimbabwe also needs to prioritize policies and investments that promote greater and safe participation in PA among children and youth.

Effects of a Classroom-Based Physical Activity Program on Children's Physical Activity Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goh, Tan Leng; Hannon, James; Webster, Collin Andrew; Podlog, Leslie William; Brusseau, Timothy; Newton, Maria

2014-01-01

High levels of physical inactivity are evident among many American children. To address this problem, providing physical activity (PA) during the school day within the CSPAP framework, is one strategy to increase children's PA. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a classroom-based PA program on children's PA. Two hundred…

Year-round high physical activity levels in agropastoralists of Bolivian Andes: Results from repeated measurements of DLW method in peak and slack seasons of agricultural activities

PubMed Central

Kashiwazaki, Hiroshi; Uenishi, Kazuhiro; Kobayashi, Toshio; Rivera, Jose Orias; Coward, William A; Wright, Antony

2009-01-01

By the repeated use of the doubly labeled water method (DLW), this study aimed to investigate (1) the extent of changes in energy expenditure and physical activity level (PAL) in response to increased agricultural work demands, and (2) whether the seasonal work demands induce the changes in the fairly equitable division of work and similarity of energy needs between men and women observed in our previous study (Phase 1 study; Kashiwazaki et al., 1995: Am J Clin Nutr 62: 901–910). In a rural small agropastoral community of the Bolivian Andes, we made the follow-up study (Phase 2, 14 adults; a time of high agricultural activity) of the Phase 1 study (12 adults; a time of low agricultural activity). In the Phase 2 study, both men and women showed very high PAL (mean±SD), but there was no significant difference by sex (men; 2.18 ± 0.23 (age; 64 ± 11 years, n = 7), women; 2.26 ± 0.25 (63 ± 10 years, n = 7)). The increase of PAL by 11% (P = 0.023) in the Phase 2 was equally occurred in both men and women. The factorial approach underestimated PAL significantly by ≈15% (P < 0.05). High PAL throughout the year ranging on average 2.0 and 2.2 was attributable to everyday tasks for subsistence and domestic works undertaking over 9–11 h (men spent 2.7 h on agricultural work and 4.7 h on animal herding, whereas women spent 7.3 h almost exclusively on animal herding). The seasonal increase in PAL was statistically significant, but it was smaller than those anticipated from published reports. A flexible division of labor played an important role in the equitable energetic increase in both men and women. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. PMID:19127525

Upper Limb Muscle and Brain Activity in Light Assembly Task on Different Load Levels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zadry, Hilma Raimona; Dawal, Siti Zawiah Md.; Taha, Zahari

2010-10-01

A study was conducted to investigate the effect of load on upper limb muscles and brain activities in light assembly task. The task was conducted at two levels of load (Low and high). Surface electromyography (EMG) was used to measure upper limb muscle activities of twenty subjects. Electroencephalography (EEG) was simultaneously recorded with EMG to record brain activities from Fz, Pz, O1 and O2 channels. The EMG Mean Power Frequency (MPF) of the right brachioradialis and the left upper trapezius activities were higher on the high-load task compared to low-load task. The EMG MPF values also decrease as time increases, that reflects muscle fatigue. Mean power of the EEG alpha bands for the Fz-Pz channels were found to be higher on the high-load task compared to low-load task, while for the O1-O2 channels, they were higher on the low-load task than on the high-load task. These results indicated that the load levels effect the upper limb muscle and brain activities. The high-load task will increase muscle activities on the right brachioradialis and the left upper tapezius muscles, and will increase the awareness and motivation of the subjects. Whilst the low-load task can generate drowsiness earlier. It signified that the longer the time and the more heavy of the task, the subjects will be more fatigue physically and mentally.

Instruction-specific brain activations during episodic encoding. a generalized level of processing effect.

PubMed

Petersson, Karl Magnus; Sandblom, Johan; Elfgren, Christina; Ingvar, Martin

2003-11-01

In a within-subject design we investigated the levels-of-processing (LOP) effect using visual material in a behavioral and a corresponding PET study. In the behavioral study we characterize a generalized LOP effect, using pleasantness and graphical quality judgments in the encoding situation, with two types of visual material, figurative and nonfigurative line drawings. In the PET study we investigate the related pattern of brain activations along these two dimensions. The behavioral results indicate that instruction and material contribute independently to the level of recognition performance. Therefore the LOP effect appears to stem both from the relative relevance of the stimuli (encoding opportunity) and an altered processing of stimuli brought about by the explicit instruction (encoding mode). In the PET study, encoding of visual material under the pleasantness (deep) instruction yielded left lateralized frontoparietal and anterior temporal activations while surface-based perceptually oriented processing (shallow instruction) yielded right lateralized frontoparietal, posterior temporal, and occipitotemporal activations. The result that deep encoding was related to the left prefrontal cortex while shallow encoding was related to the right prefrontal cortex, holding the material constant, is not consistent with the HERA model. In addition, we suggest that the anterior medial superior frontal region is related to aspects of self-referential semantic processing and that the inferior parts of the anterior cingulate as well as the medial orbitofrontal cortex is related to affective processing, in this case pleasantness evaluation of the stimuli regardless of explicit semantic content. Finally, the left medial temporal lobe appears more actively engaged by elaborate meaning-based processing and the complex response pattern observed in different subregions of the MTL lends support to the suggestion that this region is functionally segregated.

Low levels of physical activity are associated with dysregulation of energy intake and fat mass gain over 1 year.

PubMed

Shook, Robin P; Hand, Gregory A; Drenowatz, Clemens; Hebert, James R; Paluch, Amanda E; Blundell, John E; Hill, James O; Katzmarzyk, Peter T; Church, Timothy S; Blair, Steven N

2015-12-01

Previous studies suggest that appetite may be dysregulated at low levels of activity, creating an energy imbalance that results in weight gain. The aim was to examine the relation between energy intake, physical activity, appetite, and weight gain during a 1-y follow-up period in a large sample of adults. Participants included 421 individuals (mean ± SD age: 27.6 ± 3.8 y). Measurements included the following: energy intake with the use of interviewer-administered dietary recalls and calculated by using changes in body composition and energy expenditure, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with the use of an arm-based monitor, body composition with the use of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and questionnaire-derived perceptions of dietary restraint, disinhibition, hunger, and control of eating. Participants were grouped at baseline into quintiles of MVPA (min/d) by sex. Measurements were repeated every 3 mo for 1 y. At baseline, an inverse relation existed between body weight and activity groups, with the least-active group (15.7 ± 9.9 min MVPA/d, 6062 ± 1778 steps/d) having the highest body weight (86.3 ± 13.2 kg) and the most-active group (174.5 ± 60.5 min MVPA/d, 10260 ± 3087 steps/d) having the lowest body weight (67.5 ± 11.0 kg). A positive relation was observed between calculated energy intake and activity group, except in the lowest quintile of activity. The lowest physical activity group reported higher levels of disinhibition (P = 0.07) and cravings for savory foods (P = 0.03) compared with the group with the highest level of physical activity. Over 1 y of follow-up, the lowest activity group gained the largest amount of fat mass (1.7 ± 0.3 kg) after adjustment for change in MVPA and baseline fat mass. The odds of gaining >3% of fat mass were between 1.8 and 3.8 times as high for individuals in the least-active group as for those in the middle activity group. These results suggest that low levels of physical activity are a risk factor

Grape pomace extract exerts antioxidant effects through an increase in GCS levels and GST activity in muscle and endothelial cells

PubMed Central

GOUTZOURELAS, NIKOLAOS; STAGOS, DIMITRIOS; HOUSMEKERIDOU, ANASTASIA; KARAPOULIOU, CHRISTINA; KERASIOTI, EFTHALIA; ALIGIANNIS, NEKTARIOS; SKALTSOUNIS, ALEXIOS L; SPANDIDOS, DEMETRIOS A; TSATSAKIS, ARISTIDIS M; KOURETAS, DEMETRIOS

2015-01-01

In a previous study, we demonstrated that a grape pomace extract (GPE) exerted antioxidant activity in endothelial (EA.hy926) and muscle (C2C12) cells through an increase in glutathione (GSH) levels. In the present study, in order to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for the antioxidant activity of GPE, its effects on the expression of critical antioxidant enzymes, such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD)1, heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GCS) were assessed in EA.hy926 and C2C12 cells. Moreover, the effects of GPE on CAT, SOD and glutathione S-transferase (GST) enzymatic activity were evaluated. For this purpose, the C2C12 and EA.hy926 cells were treated with GPE at low and non-cytotoxic concentrations (2.5 and 10 µg/ml for the C2C12 cells; 0.068 and 0.250 µg/ml for the EA.hy926 cells) for 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 h. Following incubation, enzymatic expression and activity were assessed. The results revealed that treatment with GPE significantly increased GCS levels and GST activity in both the C2C12 and EA.hy926 cells. However, GPE significantly decreased CAT levels and activity, but only in the muscle cells, while it had no effect on CAT levels and activity in the endothelial cells. Moreover, treatment with GPE had no effect on HO-1 and SOD expression and activity in both cell lines. Therefore, the present results provide further evidence of the crucial role of GSH systems in the antioxidant effects exerted by GPE. Thus, GPE may prove to be effective for use as a food supplement for the treatment of oxidative stress-induced pathological conditions of the cardiovascular and skeletal muscle systems, particularly those associated with low GSH levels. PMID:26082074

Assessing Causality in the Association between Child Adiposity and Physical Activity Levels: A Mendelian Randomization Analysis

PubMed Central

Richmond, Rebecca C.; Davey Smith, George; Ness, Andy R.; den Hoed, Marcel; McMahon, George; Timpson, Nicholas J.

2014-01-01

Background Cross-sectional studies have shown that objectively measured physical activity is associated with childhood adiposity, and a strong inverse dose–response association with body mass index (BMI) has been found. However, few studies have explored the extent to which this association reflects reverse causation. We aimed to determine whether childhood adiposity causally influences levels of physical activity using genetic variants reliably associated with adiposity to estimate causal effects. Methods and Findings The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children collected data on objectively assessed activity levels of 4,296 children at age 11 y with recorded BMI and genotypic data. We used 32 established genetic correlates of BMI combined in a weighted allelic score as an instrumental variable for adiposity to estimate the causal effect of adiposity on activity. In observational analysis, a 3.3 kg/m2 (one standard deviation) higher BMI was associated with 22.3 (95% CI, 17.0, 27.6) movement counts/min less total physical activity (p = 1.6×10−16), 2.6 (2.1, 3.1) min/d less moderate-to-vigorous-intensity activity (p = 3.7×10−29), and 3.5 (1.5, 5.5) min/d more sedentary time (p = 5.0×10−4). In Mendelian randomization analyses, the same difference in BMI was associated with 32.4 (0.9, 63.9) movement counts/min less total physical activity (p = 0.04) (∼5.3% of the mean counts/minute), 2.8 (0.1, 5.5) min/d less moderate-to-vigorous-intensity activity (p = 0.04), and 13.2 (1.3, 25.2) min/d more sedentary time (p = 0.03). There was no strong evidence for a difference between variable estimates from observational estimates. Similar results were obtained using fat mass index. Low power and poor instrumentation of activity limited causal analysis of the influence of physical activity on BMI. Conclusions Our results suggest that increased adiposity causes a reduction in physical activity in children and support research into the

A pediatric correlational study of stride interval dynamics, energy expenditure and activity level.

PubMed

Ellis, Denine; Sejdic, Ervin; Zabjek, Karl; Chau, Tom

2014-08-01

The strength of time-dependent correlations known as stride interval (SI) dynamics has been proposed as an indicator of neurologically healthy gait. Most recently, it has been hypothesized that these dynamics may be necessary for gait efficiency although the supporting evidence to date is scant. The current study examines over-ground SI dynamics, and their relationship with the cost of walking and physical activity levels in neurologically healthy children aged nine to 15 years. Twenty participants completed a single experimental session consisting of three phases: 10 min resting, 15 min walking and 10 min recovery. The scaling exponent (α) was used to characterize SI dynamics while net energy cost was measured using a portable metabolic cart, and physical activity levels were determined based on a 7-day recall questionnaire. No significant linear relationships were found between a and the net energy cost measures (r < .07; p > .25) or between α and physical activity levels (r = .01, p = .62). However, there was a marked reduction in the variance of α as activity levels increased. Over-ground stride dynamics do not appear to directly reflect energy conservation of gait in neurologically healthy youth. However, the reduction in the variance of α with increasing physical activity suggests a potential exercise-moderated convergence toward a level of stride interval persistence for able-bodied youth reported in the literature. This latter finding warrants further investigation.

Nerve growth factor levels and choline acetyltransferase activity in the brain of aged rats with spatial memory impairments.

PubMed

Hellweg, R; Fischer, W; Hock, C; Gage, F H; Björklund, A; Thoenen, H

1990-12-24

Nerve growth factor (NGF) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity levels were measured in 7 different brain regions in young (3-month-old) and aged (2-years-old) female Sprague-Dawley rats. Prior to analysis the spatial learning ability of the aged rats was assessed in the Morris' water maze test. In the aged rats a significant, 15-30%, increase in NGF levels was observed in 4 regions (septum, cortex, olfactory bulb and cerebellum), whereas the levels in hippocampus, striatum and the brainstem were similar to those of the young rats. The NGF changes did not correlate with the behavioral performance within the aged group. Minor 15-30%, changes in ChAT activity were observed in striatum, brainstem and cerebellum, but these changes did not correlate with the changes in NGF levels in any region. The results indicate that brain NGF levels are maintained at normal or supranormal levels in rats with severe learning and memory impairments. The results, therefore, do not support the view that the marked atrophy and cell loss in the forebrain cholinergic system that is known to occur in the behaviorally impaired aged rats is caused by a reduced availability of NGF in the cholinergic target areas. The results also indicate that the slightly increased levels of NGF are not sufficient to prevent the age-dependent atrophy of cholinergic neurons, although they might be important for the stimulation of compensatory functional changes in a situation where the system is undergoing progressive degeneration.

Impact of gender participation in non-farming activities on household income and poverty levels in Pakistan.

PubMed

Ali, Akhter; Erenstein, Olaf; Rahut, Dil Bahadur

2015-01-01

In the rural areas of Pakistan, the majority of farm households have small landholdings of less than 2 hectares. Both male and females are engaged in farming and non-farming activities. However, in Pakistan the gender-wise participation in farming activities is not much documented. The main objective of the current study is to estimate the impact of male and female participation in non-farming activities on a household's income level and poverty status in Pakistan. The current study is based on a cross-sectional data set collected from 325 households through a purposive random sampling technique. A detailed comprehensive questionnaire was prepared for data collection. The data were analyzed by employing the propensity score matching approach. The empirical results indicate that both male and female participation in non-farming activities has a positive impact on household welfare in Pakistan by raising income levels and thus contributing to poverty reduction. However, the impact is greater when the males of a household take part in these activities rather than the females. In the past only a few studies have focused on gender-based participation in non-farming activities. The non-farming sector is an important one in rural areas, especially in developing countries like Pakistan. More opportunities need to be created for both men and women in rural areas of Pakistan to find off-farm work, in order to increase household income and reduce poverty levels.

Dietary selenium increases the antioxidant levels and ATPase activity in the arteries and veins of poultry.

PubMed

Cao, Changyu; Zhao, Xia; Fan, Ruifeng; Zhao, Jinxin; Luan, Yilin; Zhang, Ziwei; Xu, Shiwen

2016-07-01

Selenium (Se) deficiency is associated with the pathogenesis of vascular diseases. It has been shown that oxidative levels and ATPase activity were involved in Se deficiency diseases in humans and mammals; however, the mechanism by how Se influences the oxidative levels and ATPase activity in the poultry vasculature is unclear. We assessed the effects of dietary Se deficiency on the oxidative stress parameters (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and hydroxyl radical) and ATPase (Na(+)K(+)-ATPase, Ca(++)-ATPase, Mg(++)-ATPase, and Ca(++)Mg(++)-ATPase) activity in broiler poultry. A total of 40 broilers (1-day old) were randomly divided into a Se-deficient group (L group, fed a Se-deficient diet containing 0.08 mg/kg Se) and a control group (C group, fed a diet containing sodium selenite at 0.20 mg/kg Se). Then, arteries and veins were collected following euthanasia when typical symptoms of Se deficiency appeared. Antioxidant indexes and ATPase activity were evaluated using standard assays in arteries and veins. The results indicated that superoxide dismutase activity in the artery according to dietary Se deficiency was significantly lower (p < 0.05) compared with the C group. The catalase activity in the veins and hydroxyl radical inhibition in the arteries and veins by dietary Se deficiency were significantly higher (p < 0.05) compared with the C group. The Se-deficient group showed a significantly lower (p < 0.05) tendency in Na(+)K(+)-ATPase activity, Ca(++)-ATPase activity, and Ca(++)Mg(++)-ATPase activity. There were strong correlations between antioxidant indexes and Ca(++)-ATPase activity. Thus, these results indicate that antioxidant indexes and ATPases may have special roles in broiler artery and vein injuries under Se deficiency.

Associations between active commuting and physical activity in working adults: Cross-sectional results from the Commuting and Health in Cambridge study

PubMed Central

Yang, Lin; Panter, Jenna; Griffin, Simon J.; Ogilvie, David

2012-01-01

Objective To quantify the association between time spent in active commuting and in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in a sample of working adults living in both urban and rural locations. Methods In 2009, participants in the Commuting and Health in Cambridge study were sent questionnaires enquiring about sociodemographic characteristics and weekly time spent in active commuting. They were also invited to wear an accelerometer for seven days. Accelerometer data were used to compute the time spent in MVPA. Multiple regression models were used to examine the association between time spent in active commuting and MVPA. Results 475 participants (70% female) provided valid data. On average, participants recorded 55 (SD: 23.02) minutes of MVPA per day. For women, reporting 150 or more minutes of active commuting per week was associated with an estimated 8.50 (95% CI: 1.75 to 51.26, p = 0.01) additional minutes of daily MVPA compared to those who reported no time in active commuting. No overall associations were found in men. Conclusions Promoting active commuting might be an important way of increasing levels of physical activity, particularly in women. Further research should assess whether increases in time spent in active commuting are associated with increases in physical activity. PMID:22964003

Annoyance resulting from intrusion of aircraft sounds upon various activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gunn, W. J.; Shepherd, W. T.; Fletcher, J. L.

1975-01-01

An experiment was conducted in which subjects were engaged in TV viewing, telephone listening, or reverie (no activity) for a 1/2-hour session. During the session, they were exposed to a series of recorded aircraft sounds at the rate of one flight every 2 minutes. Within each session, four levels of flyover noise, separated by dB increments, were presented several times in a Latin Square balanced sequence. The peak level of the noisiest flyover in any session was fixed at 95, 90, 85, 75, or 70 dBA. At the end of the test session, subjects recorded their responses to the aircraft sounds, using a bipolar scale which covered the range from very pleasant to extremely annoying. Responses to aircraft noises were found to be significantly affected by the particular activity in which the subjects were engaged. Not all subjects found the aircraft sounds to be annoying.

Differences in Physical Activity Levels between Urban and Rural School Children in Cyprus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loucaides, Constantinos A.; Chedzoy, Sue M.; Bennett, Neville

2004-01-01

This study attempted to examine differences in physical activity levels between urban and rural primary school children. The sample consisted of 256 Greek-Cypriot children and their parents from two schools representing urban areas and three schools representing rural areas. Children's activity levels were assessed for 4 weekdays in the winter and…

Segmentation of prostate from ultrasound images using level sets on active band and intensity variation across edges

PubMed Central

Li, Xu; Li, Chunming; Fedorov, Andriy; Kapur, Tina; Yang, Xiaoping

2016-01-01

detect weak boundaries and avoid unwanted edges in the ultrasound images. Results: The efficiency of the proposed model is demonstrated by experiments on real 3D volume images and 2D ultrasound images and comparisons with other approaches. Validation results on real 3D TRUS prostate images show that the authors’ model can obtain a Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) of 94.03% ± 1.50% and a sensitivity of 93.16% ± 2.30%. Experiments on 100 typical 2D ultrasound images show that the authors’ method can obtain a sensitivity of 94.87% ± 1.85% and a DSC of 95.82% ± 2.23%. A reproducibility experiment is done to evaluate the robustness of the proposed model. Conclusions: As far as the authors know, prostate segmentation from ultrasound images with weak boundaries and unwanted edges is a difficult task. A novel method using level sets with active band and the intensity variation across edges is proposed in this paper. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method is more efficient and accurate. PMID:27277056

Does Activity Space Size Influence Physical Activity Levels of Adolescents? - A GPS study of an urban environment.

PubMed

Lee, Nolan C; Voss, Christine; Frazer, Amanda D; Hirsch, Jana A; McKay, Heather A; Winters, Meghan

2016-06-01

Physical activity (PA) is closely linked with child and youth health, and active travel may be a solution to enhancing PA levels. Activity spaces depict the geographic coverage of one's travel. Little is known about activity spaces and PA in adolescents. To explore the relation between adolescent travel (using a spatial measure of activity space size) and daily moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), with a focus on school days. In Fall 2012, we used Global Positioning Systems to manually identify trips and generate activity spaces for each person-day; quantified by area for 39 students (13.8±0.6 years, 38% female) attending high school in urban Downtown Vancouver, Canada. We assessed the association between activity space area and MVPA using multi-level regression. We calculated total, school-day and trip-based MVPA for each valid person-day (accelerometry; ≥ 600 min wear time). On school days, students accrued 68.2 min/day (95% CI 60.4-76.0) of MVPA. Daily activity spaces averaged 2.2 km 2 (95% CI 1.3-3.0). There was no association between activity space size and school-day MVPA. Students accrued 21.8 min/day (95% CI 19.2-24.4) of MVPA during school hours, 19.4 min/day (95% CI 15.1-23.7) during travel, and 28.3 min/day (95% CI 22.3-34.3) elsewhere. School and school travel are important sources of PA in Vancouver adolescents, irrespective of activity space area covered.

Motility, ATP levels and metabolic enzyme activity of sperm from bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus).

PubMed

Burness, Gary; Moyes, Christopher D; Montgomerie, Robert

2005-01-01

Male bluegill displays one of two life history tactics. Some males (termed "parentals") delay reproduction until ca. 7 years of age, at which time they build nests and actively courts females. Others mature precociously (sneakers) and obtain fertilizations by cuckolding parental males. In the current study, we studied the relations among sperm motility, ATP levels, and metabolic enzyme activity in parental and sneaker bluegill. In both reproductive tactics, sperm swimming speed and ATP levels declined in parallel over the first 60 s of motility. Although sneaker sperm initially had higher ATP levels than parental sperm, by approximately 30 s postactivation, no differences existed between tactics. No differences were noted between tactics in swimming speed, percent motility, or the activities of key metabolic enzymes, although sperm from parentals had a higher ratio of creatine phosphokinase (CPK) to citrate synthase (CS). In both tactics, with increasing CPK and CS activity, sperm ATP levels increased at 20 s postactivation, suggesting that capacities for phosphocreatine hydrolysis and aerobic metabolism may influence interindividual variation in rates of ATP depletion. Nonetheless, there was no relation between sperm ATP levels and either swimming speed or percent of sperm that were motile. This suggests that interindividual variation in ATP levels may not be the primary determinant of variation in sperm swimming performance in bluegill.

Relations between the school physical environment and school social capital with student physical activity levels

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The physical and social environments at schools are related to students’ moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) levels. The purpose of this study was to explore the interactive effects of the school physical environment and school social capital on the MVPA of students while at school. Methods Data from 18,875 grade 6–10 students from 331 schools who participated in the 2009/10 Canadian Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children survey were analyzed using multi-level regression. Students answered questions on the amount of time they spend in MVPA at school and on their school’s social capital. Administrator reports were used to create a physical activity related physical environment score. Results The school physical environment score was positively associated with student MVPA at school (β = 0.040, p < .005). The association between the school social capital and MVPA was also positive (β = 0.074, p < .001). The difference in physical environments equated to about 20 minutes/week of MVPA for students attending schools with the lowest number of physical environment features and about 40 minutes/week for students attending schools with the lowest school social capital scores by comparison to students attending schools with the highest scores. Conclusions The findings suggest that school social capital may be a more important factor in increasing students MVPA than the school physical environment. The results of this study may help inform interventions aimed at increasing student physical activity levels. PMID:24341628

Early androgens, activity levels and toy choices of children in the second year of life.

PubMed

Alexander, Gerianne M; Saenz, Janet

2012-09-01

The hypothesis that stronger preferences for active play styles contribute to stronger preferences for male-typical toys was examined in 47 boys and 37 girls at 19-months of age using ambulatory monitoring technology (i.e., actigraphy) to measure activity levels during contact with male-typical, female-typical, and gender-neutral toys. Digit ratios and salivary testosterone levels were measured earlier in children at 3-4 months of age. There were no significant sex differences in digit ratios, salivary testosterone levels, or overall activity levels during toy play. In contrast, contact times showed large sex differences in infants' toy preferences. The within-sex comparisons showed that infant girls had significant preferences for female-typical toys over male-typical toys, whereas infant boys showed only a small preference for male-typical toys over female-typical toys. More male-typical digit ratios in early infancy predicted higher activity counts during toy play and less female-typical toy preferences in girls. However, in both sexes, activity levels were unrelated to toy preferences suggesting that factors other than activity level preferences contribute to the early emergence of gender-linked toy preferences. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Shoulder Muscle Activation Levels During the Push-Up-Plus Exercise on Stable and Unstable Surfaces.

PubMed

Torres, Rafaela J B; Pirauá, André L T; Nascimento, Vinícius Y S; Dos Santos, Priscila S; Beltrão, Natália B; de Oliveira, Valéria M A; Pitangui, Ana Carolina R; de Araújo, Rodrigo C

2017-07-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute effect of the use of stable and unstable surfaces on electromyography (EMG) activity and coactivation of the scapular and upper-limb muscles during the push-up plus (with full protraction of the scapula). Muscle activation of anterior deltoid (AD), posterior deltoid (PD), pectoralis major, biceps brachii (BB), triceps brachii (TB), upper trapezius (UT), middle trapezius (MT), lower trapezius (LT), and serratus anterior (SA) levels and coactivation index were determined by surface EMG in 20 young men during push-up plus performed on a stable and unstable condition (2 unstable devices applied to hands and feet). The paired t test and Cohen d were used for statistical analysis. The results showed that during the execution of the push-up plus on the unstable surface an increased EMG activity of the scapular stabilizing muscles (SA, MT, and LT) was observed, while AD and PD muscles showed a decrease. During exercise execution on the unstable surface there was a higher index of coactivation of the scapular muscles (SA-MT and UT-LT pairs). No significant differences were observed in TB-BB and AD-PD pairs. These results suggest that the push-up-plus exercise associated with unstable surfaces produced greater EMG activity levels and coactivation index of the scapular stabilizing muscle. On the other hand, the use of an unstable surface does not promote the same effect for the shoulder muscles.

Variation in activity levels amongst dogs of different breeds: results of a large online survey of dog owners from the UK.

PubMed

Pickup, Emily; German, Alexander J; Blackwell, Emily; Evans, Mark; Westgarth, Carri

2017-01-01

Regular physical activity is an important means of promoting health, both in people and their pets. Walking is the most common method used for dogs, but there is a lack of clarity on how much daily activity different breeds of dog require. Data from an online survey of UK dog owners were collected between June and August in 2014. The University of Liverpool Ethics Committee approved the project, and owners consented to data use. The initial dataset (17 028 dogs) was first cleaned to remove erroneous data, and then edited to remove mixed breed dogs, leaving a total of 12 314 dogs from known pedigree breeds. Other information collected included sex, age, neuter status, breed, and amount and frequency of exercise. Exercise frequency and duration were estimated across different breeds, and compared with Kennel Club recommendations, using χ 2 tests and binary logistic regression. The online survey data indicated differences amongst breeds in the amount of walking reported ( P  < 0·001). Afghan hounds were the least exercised breed, whilst breeds reportedly exercised most included: English setter, foxhound, Irish setter and Old English sheepdog. Gundogs were most likely to be walked once per d or more ( P  < 0·001), whilst smaller dogs were more likely to meet their UK Kennel Club guidelines for dog walking ( P  < 0·001). The frequency of dog walking varies both within and amongst breeds, and many do not currently receive the recommended amount of exercise. This may constitute a canine welfare problem and also have an impact on the physical activity levels of their owners.

Applying Active Learning at the Graduate Level: Merger Issues at Newco.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berger, Bruce K.

2002-01-01

Suggests that active learning can benefit students in public relations and integrated communication courses at the graduate level. Describes how three active learning approaches--research and field work, student accountabilities for learning, and student reflection and reflexive exercises--were used in a graduate class project to help a Fortune 50…

Active eye-tracking improves LASIK results.

PubMed

Lee, Yuan-Chieh

2007-06-01

To study the advantage of active eye-tracking for photorefractive surgery. In a prospective, double-masked study, LASIK for myopia and myopic astigmatism was performed in 50 patients using the ALLEGRETTO WAVE version 1007. All patients received LASIK with full comprehension of the importance of fixation during the procedure. All surgical procedures were performed by a single surgeon. The eye-tracker was turned off in one group (n = 25) and kept on in another group (n = 25). Preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively, patients underwent a standard ophthalmic examination, which included comeal topography. In the patients treated with the eye-tracker off, all had uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) of > or = 20/40 and 64% had > or = 20/20. Compared with the patients treated with the eye-tracker on, they had higher residual cylindrical astigmatism (P < .05). Those treated with the eye-tracker on achieved better UCVA and best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (P < .05). Spherical error and potential visual acuity (TMS-II) were not significantly different between the groups. The flying-spot system can achieve a fair result without active eye-tracking, but active eye-tracking helps improve the visual outcome and reduces postoperative cylindrical astigmatism.

Female University Students’ Physical Activity Levels and Associated Factors—A Cross-Sectional Study in Southwestern Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Khalaf, Atika; Ekblom, Örjan; Kowalski, Jan; Berggren, Vanja; Westergren, Albert; Al-Hazzaa, Hazzaa

2013-01-01

Background: The high prevalence of physical inactivity in Saudi Arabia is a growing challenge to public health. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of physical activity (PA) and associated factors among female university students. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 663 randomly selected female university students who completed the Arab Teens Life Style questionnaire. Data included measurements of anthropometric, socioeconomic and environmental factors, as well as self-reported PA. Ordinal regression was used to identify associated factors with low, moderate and high PA levels. Results: The mean age of participants was 20.4 years (SD 1.5). Mean BMI of the students in relation to PA were 23.0, 22.9, 22.1 for high, moderate and low levels of activity, respectively. The analysis revealed significantly higher PA levels among married students, those with high educated mothers, and those who lived far from parks, and lower activity levels among underweight students. Conclusions: This study raises four important determinants for female university students’ PA levels. These factors could be of great importance in the endeavor to prevent the health-threatening increase in physical inactivity patterns and thus non-communicable diseases and obesity where the focus should be on the specific situation and needs of women in Saudi Arabia. PMID:23939387

Organized Sport Participation Is Associated with Higher Levels of Overall Health-Related Physical Activity in Children (CHAMPS Study-DK)

PubMed Central

Hebert, Jeffrey J.; Møller, Niels C.; Andersen, Lars B.; Wedderkopp, Niels

2015-01-01

Introduction Many children fail to meet international guideline recommendations for health-related activity (≥60 minutes/day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity [MVPA]), and intervention studies to date have reported negligible effects. Objective Explore the associations of organized leisure-time sport participation with overall physical activity levels and health-related physical activity guideline concordance. Methods This prospective cohort study was nested in the Childhood Health, Activity, and Motor Performance School Study Denmark. Study participants were a representative sample of 1124 primary school students. Organized leisure-time sport participation was reported via text messaging and physical activity was objectively measured over seven days with accelerometry. Associations between sport participation and physical activity level were explored with multilevel mixed-effects regression models and reported with beta coefficients (b) and adjusted odds ratios (aOR). Results Participants were 53% female, with mean(SD) age = 8.4(1.4) years. Boys were more active than girls (p<0.001), and physical activity levels and guideline concordance decreased with age (p<0.001). Soccer participation at any frequency was associated with greater overall MVPA (b[95% CI] = 0.66[0.20,1.13] to 2.44[1.44,3.44]). Depending on participation frequency, this equates to 5–20 minutes more MVPA on the average day and 3 to 15 fold increased odds of achieving recommended levels of health-related physical activity (aOR[95%CI] = 3.04[1.49,6.19] to 14.49[1.97,106.56]). Similar associations were identified among children playing handball at least twice per week. Relationships with other sports (gymnastics, basketball, volleyball) were inconsistent. Conclusions Many children, particularly girls and those in higher grade levels do not adhere to health-related physical activity recommendations. Organized leisure-time sport participation may be a viable strategy to increase overall

Pedometer-Assessed Physical Activity Levels of Rural Appalachian Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oh, Hyun-Ju; Rana, Sharon

2014-01-01

The purposes of this investigation were to examine whether pedometer-assessed physical activity (PA) in Appalachian Ohio students differed by body mass index (BMI), school level (middle school vs. high school), and gender during school days and nonschool days and whether students met the recommended PA guidelines. Participants (N = 149) were…

Genetic Influences on Mechanically-Assessed Activity Level in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Alexis C.; Saudino, Kimberly J.; Rogers, Hannah; Asherson, Philip; Kuntsi, Jonna

2007-01-01

Background: Activity level is an important component of children's temperament, as well as being part of the core symptom domain of hyperactivity-impulsivity within attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Yet it is poorly understood, due partly to limitations on parent and teacher ratings, which are typically used as measurements of these…

PRN 96-8: Toxicologically Significant Levels of Pesticide Active Ingredients

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This notice sets out EPA's interpretation of the term toxicologically significant as it applies to contaminants in pesticide products that are also pesticide active ingredients. It provides risk-based concentration levels of such contaminants.

Depression and physical activity in a sample of nigerian adolescents: levels, relationships and predictors

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Physical inactivity is related to many morbidities but the evidence of its link with depression in adolescents needs further investigation in view of the existing conflicting reports. Methods The data for this cross-sectional study were collected from 1,100 Nigerian adolescents aged 12-17 years. Depressive symptomatology and physical activity were assessed using the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) and the Physical Activity Questionnaire-Adolescent version (PAQ-A) respectively. Independent t tests, Pearson's Moment Correlation and Multi-level logistic regression analyses for individual and school area influences were carried out on the data at p < 0.05. Results The mean age of the participants was 15.20 ± 1.435 years. The prevalence of mild to moderate depression was 23.8%, definite depression was 5.7% and low physical activity was 53.8%. More severe depressive symptoms were linked with lower levels of physical activity (r = -0.82, p < 0.001) and moderate physical activity was linked with reduced risk of depressive symptoms (OR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.29-0.71). The odds of having depressive symptoms were higher in older adolescents (OR = 2.16, 95% CI = 1.81-3.44) and in females (OR = 2.92, 95% CI = 1.82-3.54). Females had a higher risk of low physical activity than male adolescents (OR = 2.91, 95% CI = 1.51-4.26). Being in Senior Secondary class three was a significant predictor of depressive symptoms (OR = 3.4, 95% CI = 2.55-4.37) and low physical activity. Conclusions A sizable burden of depression and low physical activity existed among the studied adolescents and these were linked to both individual and school factors. Future studies should examine the effects of physical activity among clinical samples of adolescents with depression. PMID:21569581

Treating metabolic syndrome's metaflammation with low level light therapy: preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshimura, Tania M.; Kato, Ilka T.; Deana, Alessandro M.; Ribeiro, Martha S.

2014-02-01

Metabolic syndrome comprises a constellation of morbidities such as insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, atherogenic dyslipidemia, dysglycemia and obesity (especially abdominal). Metabolic alterations are observed in major insulin target organs, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, type-2 diabetes and therefore mortality. Tissue alterations are characterized by immune cells infiltrates (especially activated macrophages). Released inflammatory mediators such as TNF-α induce chronic inflammation in subjects with metabolic syndrome, since inflammatory pathways are activated in the neighboring cells. The intra-abdominal adipose tissue appears to be of particular importance in the onset of the inflammatory state, and strategies contributing to modulate the inflammatory process within this adipose tissue can mitigate the metabolic syndrome consequences. Considering the low level light therapy (LLLT) recognized benefits in inflammatory conditions, we hypothesized this therapeutic approach could promote positive effects in modulating the inflammatory state of metabolic syndrome. That being the scope of this study, male C57BL/6 mice were submitted to a high-fat/high-fructose diet among 8 weeks to induce metabolic syndrome. Animals were then irradiated on the abdominal region during 21 days using an 850 nm LED (6 sessions, 300 seconds per session, 60 mW output power, ~6 J/cm2 fluence, ~19 mW/cm2 fluence rate). Before and during treatment, blood was sampled either from the retroorbital plexus or from tail puncture for glucose, total cholesterol and triglycerides analysis. So far our results indicate no alterations on these metabolic parameters after LLLT. For further investigations, blood was collected for plasma inflammatory cytokine quantification and fresh ex vivo samples of liver and intra-abdominal adipose tissue were harvested for immunohistochemistry purposes.

A synthetic cannabinoid JWH-210 reduces lymphoid organ weights and T-cell activator levels in mice via CB2 receptors.

PubMed

Gu, Sun Mi; Lee, Hyun Jin; Lee, Tac-Hyung; Song, Yun Jeong; Kim, Young-Hoon; Han, Kyoung-Moon; Shin, Jisoon; Park, Hye-Kyung; Kim, Hyung Soo; Cha, Hye Jin; Yun, Jaesuk

2017-12-01

The problem of new psychoactive substances (NPS) is emerging globally. However, the immunotoxicity of synthetic cannabinoids is not evaluated extensively yet. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether synthetic cannabinoids (JWH-210 and JWH-030) induce adverse effects on lymphoid organs, viability of splenocytes and thymocytes, and immune cell activator and cytokines in mice. JWH-210 (10 mg/kg, 3 days, i.p.) is more likely to have cytotoxicity and reduce lymphoid organ weight than JWH-030 of ICR mice in vivo. We also demonstrated that JWH-210 administration resulted in the decrease of expression levels of T-cell activator including Cd3e, Cd3g, Cd74p31, and Cd74p41, while JWH-030 increased Cd3g levels. In addition, JWH-210 reduced expression levels of cytokines, such as interleukin-3, interleukin-5, and interleukin-6. Furthermore, we demonstrated that a CB 2 receptor antagonist, AM630 inhibited JWH-210-induced cytotoxicity, whereas a CB 1 receptor antagonist, rimonabant did not in primary cultured splenocytes. These results suggest that JWH-210 has a cytotoxicity via CB 2 receptor action and results in decrement of lymphoid organ weights, T-cell activator, and cytokine mRNA expression levels.

Depressed mood, usual activity level, and continued employment after starting dialysis.

PubMed

Kutner, Nancy G; Zhang, Rebecca; Huang, Yijian; Johansen, Kirsten L

2010-11-01

When patients start dialysis, their employment rate declines and disability benefits are an option. With patient sociodemographic and clinical characteristics including disability income status controlled, we investigated the significance of depressed mood and usual activity level as predictors of patients' continued employment after dialysis start. Incident patients from 296 randomly selected dialysis clinics were surveyed in the Comprehensive Dialysis Study (CDS). Participants provided information about employment status, disability income status, education, depressive symptoms measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), and usual activity level/energy expenditure measured by the Human Activity Profile. Age, gender, race, insurance, diabetes, inability to ambulate or transfer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular conditions, and hemoglobin and serum albumin values at treatment start were obtained from US Renal Data System files. Dialysis modality was defined at time of interview. Among 585 CDS participants who worked in the previous year, 191 (32.6%) continued working after dialysis start. On the basis of the PHQ-2 cutoff score ≥3, 12.1% of patients who remained employed had possible or probable depression, compared with 32.8% of patients who were no longer employed. In adjusted analyses, higher Human Activity Profile scores were associated with increased likelihood of continued employment, and there was a borderline association between lower PHQ-2 scores and continued employment. Screening and management of depressive symptoms and support for increased activity level may facilitate patients' opportunity for continued employment after dialysis start, along with generally improving their overall quality of life.

Playground usage and physical activity levels of children based on playground spatial features.

PubMed

Reimers, Anne K; Knapp, Guido

2017-01-01

Being outdoors is one of the strongest correlates of physical activity in children. Playgrounds are spaces especially designed to enable and foster physical activity in children. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between the spatial features of public playgrounds and the usage and physical activity levels of children playing in them. A quantitative, observational study was conducted of ten playgrounds in one district of a middle-sized town in Germany. Playground spatial features were captured using an audit instrument and the playground manual of the town. Playground usage and physical activity levels of children were assessed using a modified version of the System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth. Negative binomial models were used to analyze the count data. The number of children using the playgrounds and the number of children actively playing in them were higher in those with more varied facilities and without naturalness. Girls played more actively in playgrounds without multi-purpose areas. Cleanliness, esthetics, play facility quality, division of functional areas and playground size were not related to any outcome variable. Playground spatial features are related to playground usage and activity levels of the children in the playgrounds. Playgrounds should offer a wide variety of play facilities and provide spaces for diverse play activities to respond to the needs of large numbers of different children and to provide activity-friendly areas enabling their healthy development.

High levels of physical activity are associated with poorer asthma control in young females but not in males.

PubMed

Lövström, Ludvig; Emtner, Margareta; Alving, Kjell; Nordvall, Lennart; Borres, Magnus P; Janson, Christer; Malinovschi, Andrei

2016-01-01

Earlier studies on the levels of physical activity in asthma patients compared with controls have yielded varying results. We have previously reported that high versus moderate levels of physical activity were associated with higher prevalence of wheezing, especially in females. Here we studied the levels of physical activity in young patients with asthma and healthy subjects and their effect on asthma control. Four hundred eight physician-diagnosed patients with asthma and 118 controls (10-34 years) answered questions concerning frequency and/or duration of physical activity and undertook the Asthma Control Test (ACT), spirometry, methacholine challenges and exhaled nitric oxide measurements. Asthma patients were more frequently physically active (P = 0.01) and for longer durations (P = 0.002) than controls. Highly versus moderately physically active patients with asthma had a higher prevalence of not well-controlled asthma (ACT < 20) when physical activity was assessed by frequency (40.6% vs 24.1%, P = 0.001) or duration (39.0% vs 21.7%, P < 0.001). This was only seen in females who had reduced ACT items (P < 0.05). Frequently versus moderately active females had an odds ratio of 4.81 (2.43, 9.51) to have ACT < 20, while no such effect was found in males (OR 1.18 (0.61, 2.30)) and this interaction was statistically significantly associated with gender (P = 0.003). No differences in fraction of exhaled nitric oxide or methacholine reactivity were found between moderately and highly physically active females with asthma. Young asthma patients were more active than controls. High levels of physical activity were associated with poor asthma control as judged by the ACT in females, but not in males, and this appears unrelated to airway inflammation or responsiveness. © 2015 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

Do Activity Level Outcome Measures Commonly Used in Neurological Practice Assess Upper-Limb Movement Quality?

PubMed

Demers, Marika; Levin, Mindy F

2017-07-01

Movement is described in terms of task-related end point characteristics in external space and movement quality (joint rotations in body space). Assessment of upper-limb (UL) movement quality can assist therapists in designing effective treatment approaches for retraining lost motor elements and provide more detailed measurements of UL motor improvements over time. To determine the extent to which current activity level outcome measures used in neurological practice assess UL movement quality. Outcome measures assessing arm/hand function at the International Classification of Function activity level recommended by neurological clinical practice guidelines were reviewed. Measures assessing the UL as part of a general mobility assessment, those strictly evaluating body function/structure or participation, and paediatric measures were excluded. In all, 15 activity level outcome measures were identified; 9 measures assess how movement is performed by measuring either end point characteristics or movement quality. However, except for the Reaching Performance Scale for Stroke and the Motor Evaluation Scale for Upper Extremity in Stroke Patients, these measures only account for deficits indirectly by giving a partial score if movements are slower or if the person experiences difficulties. Six outcome measures neither assess any parameters related to movement quality, nor distinguish between improvements resulting from motor compensation or recovery of desired movement strategies. Current activity measures may not distinguish recovery from compensation and adequately track changes in movement quality over time. Movement quality may be incorporated into clinical assessment using observational kinematics with or without low-cost motion tracking technology.

Level of Physical Activity and In-Hospital Course of Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

PubMed Central

Jorge, Juliana de Goes; Santos, Marcos Antonio Almeida; Barreto Filho, José Augusto Soares; Oliveira, Joselina Luzia Menezes; de Melo, Enaldo Vieira; de Oliveira, Norma Alves; Faro, Gustavo Baptista de Almeida; Sousa, Antônio Carlos Sobral

2016-01-01

Background Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in the modern world. A sedentary lifestyle, present in 85% of the Brazilian population, is considered a risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease. However, the correlation of a sedentary lifestyle with cardiovascular events (CVE) during hospitalization for ACS is not well established. Objective To evaluate the association between physical activity level, assessed with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), with in-hospital prognosis in patients with ACS. Methods Observational, cross-sectional, and analytical study with 215 subjects with a diagnosis of ACS consecutively admitted to a referral hospital for cardiac patients between July 2009 and February 2011. All volunteers answered the short version of the IPAQ and were observed for the occurrence of CVE during hospitalization with a standardized assessment conducted by the researcher and corroborated by data from medical records. Results The patients were admitted with diagnoses of unstable angina (34.4%), acute myocardial infarction (AMI) without ST elevation (41.4%), and AMI with ST elevation (24.2%). According to the level of physical activity, the patients were classified as non-active (56.3%) and active (43.7%). A CVE occurred in 35.3% of the cohort. The occurrence of in-hospital complications was associated with the length of hospital stay (odds ratio [OR] = 1.15) and physical inactivity (OR = 2.54), and was independent of age, systolic blood pressure, and prior congestive heart failure. Conclusion A physically active lifestyle reduces the risk of CVE during hospitalization in patients with ACS. PMID:26690692

Physical activity level and physical functionality in nonagenarians compared to individuals aged 60-74 years.

PubMed

Frisard, Madlyn I; Fabre, Jennifer M; Russell, Ryan D; King, Christina M; DeLany, James P; Wood, Robert H; Ravussin, Eric

2007-07-01

Functional dependence and the risks of disability increase with age. The loss of independence is thought to be partially due to a decrease in physical activity. However, in populations, accurate measurement of physical activity is challenging and may not provide information on functional impairment. This study therefore assessed physical functionality and physical activity level in a group of nonagenarians (11 men/11 women; 93+/-1 years, 66.6+/-2.4 kg, body mass index [BMI]=24+/-1 kg/m2) and a group of participants aged 60-74 years (17 men/15 women; 70+/-1 years, 83.3+/-3.0 kg, BMI=29+/-1 kg/m2) from the Louisiana Healthy Aging Study. Physical activity level was calculated from total energy expenditure (TEE) and resting metabolic rate (RMR). Physical functionality was assessed using the Reduced Continuous Scale Physical Functional Performance Test (CS-PFP10). Nonagenarians had lower absolute (p<.001) and adjusted (p<.007) TEE compared to participants aged 60-74 years which was attributed to a reduction in both RMR and physical activity level. Nonagenarians also had reduced functional performance (p<.001) which was correlated with activity level (r=0.68, p<.001). When compared to individuals aged 60-74 years, 73% of the reduction in TEE in nonagenarians can be attributed to a reduction in physical activity level, the remaining being accounted for by a reduction in RMR. The reduced physical activity in nonagenarians is associated with less physical functionality. This study provides the first objective comparison of physical functionality and actual levels of physical activity in older individuals.

Cascading activation from lexical processing to letter-level processing in written word production.

PubMed

Buchwald, Adam; Falconer, Carolyn

2014-01-01

Descriptions of language production have identified processes involved in producing language and the presence and type of interaction among those processes. In the case of spoken language production, consensus has emerged that there is interaction among lexical selection processes and phoneme-level processing. This issue has received less attention in written language production. In this paper, we present a novel analysis of the writing-to-dictation performance of an individual with acquired dysgraphia revealing cascading activation from lexical processing to letter-level processing. The individual produced frequent lexical-semantic errors (e.g., chipmunk → SQUIRREL) as well as letter errors (e.g., inhibit → INBHITI) and had a profile consistent with impairment affecting both lexical processing and letter-level processing. The presence of cascading activation is suggested by lower letter accuracy on words that are more weakly activated during lexical selection than on those that are more strongly activated. We operationalize weakly activated lexemes as those lexemes that are produced as lexical-semantic errors (e.g., lethal in deadly → LETAHL) compared to strongly activated lexemes where the intended target word (e.g., lethal) is the lexeme selected for production.

Relationships among Physical Activity Levels, Psychomotor, Psychosocial, and Cognitive Development of Primary Education Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isler, Ayse Kin; Asci, F. Hulya; Kosar, S. Nazan

2002-01-01

Investigated the relationships of physical activity levels and psychomotor, psychosocial, and cognitive development among Turkish elementary school students. Student evaluations indicated that physical activity level was an important factor in determining student psychomotor development, but it was not important in determining psychosocial and…

Preterm labor--modeling the uterine electrical activity from cellular level to surface recording.

PubMed

Rihana, S; Marque, C

2008-01-01

Uterine electrical activity is correlated to the appearance of uterine contractions. forceful contractions appear at the end of term. Therefore, understanding the genesis and the propagation of uterine electrical activity may provide an efficient tool to diagnose preterm labor. Moreover, the control of uterine excitability seems to have important consequences in the control of preterm labor. Modeling the electrical activity in uterine tissue is thus an important step in understanding physiological uterine contractile mechanisms and to permit uterine EMG simulation. Our model presented in this paper, incorporates ion channel models at the cell level, the reaction diffusion equations at the tissue level and the spatiotemporal integration at the uterine EMG reconstructed level. This model validates some key physiological observation hypotheses concerning uterine excitability and propagation.

Association between hearing impairment and lower levels of physical activity in older adults.

PubMed

Gispen, Fiona E; Chen, David S; Genther, Dane J; Lin, Frank R

2014-08-01

To determine whether hearing impairment, highly prevalent in older adults, is associated with activity levels. Cross-sectional. National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (2005-06). Individuals aged 70 and older who completed audiometric testing and whose physical activity was assessed subjectively using questionnaires and objectively using body-worn accelerometers (N=706). Hearing impairment was defined according to the speech-frequency (0.5-4 kHz) pure-tone average in the better-hearing ear (normal <25.0 dB, mild 25.0-39.9 dB, moderate or greater ≥40 dB). Main outcome measures were self-reported leisure time physical activity and accelerometer-measured physical activity. Both were quantified using minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and categorized as inactive, insufficiently active, or sufficiently active. Ordinal logistic regression analyses were conducted and adjusted for demographic and cardiovascular risk factors. Individuals with moderate or greater hearing impairment had greater odds than those with normal hearing of being in a lower category of physical activity as measured according to self-report (OR=1.59, 95% CI=1.11-2.28) and accelerometry (OR=1.70, 95% CI=0.99-2.91). Mild hearing impairment was not associated with level of physical activity. Moderate or greater hearing impairment in older adults is associated with lower levels of physical activity independent of demographic and cardiovascular risk factors. Future research is needed to investigate the basis of this association and whether hearing rehabilitative interventions could affect physical activity in older adults. © 2014, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2014, The American Geriatrics Society.

The feasibility of well-logging measurements of arsenic levels using neutron-activation analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oden, C.P.; Schweitzer, J.S.; McDowell, G.M.

2006-01-01

Arsenic is an extremely toxic metal, which poses a significant problem in many mining environments. Arsenic contamination is also a major problem in ground and surface waters. A feasibility study was conducted to determine if neutron-activation analysis is a practical method of measuring in situ arsenic levels. The response of hypothetical well-logging tools to arsenic was simulated using a readily available Monte Carlo simulation code (MCNP). Simulations were made for probes with both hyperpure germanium (HPGe) and bismuth germanate (BGO) detectors using accelerator and isotopic neutron sources. Both sources produce similar results; however, the BGO detector is much more susceptible to spectral interference than the HPGe detector. Spectral interference from copper can preclude low-level arsenic measurements when using the BGO detector. Results show that a borehole probe could be built that would measure arsenic concentrations of 100 ppm by weight to an uncertainty of 50 ppm in about 15 min. ?? 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Increase in cigarette smoking and decrease in the level of physical activity among Spanish adolescentes. AVENA study].

PubMed

Tercedor, P; Martín-Matillas, M; Chillón, P; Pérez López, I J; Ortega, F B; Wärnberg, J; Ruiz, J R; Delgado, M

2007-01-01

Cigarette smoking among adolescents as well as the level of physical activity constitutes a public health care issue. The aim is knowing the relationship between cigarette smoking and practice of physical activity. Schooled Spanish adolescents 2859 Spanish adolescents (1357 boys, 1502 girls; age range: 13-18.5 years). A questionnaire is applied to know the level of cigarette smoking and four other questionnaires to know the level of physical activity during different periods. 40.8% of the adolescents stated not doing any physical activity at all, boys being more active than girls (p < 0.001). 29.9% of the adolescents stated usually smoking cigarettes, without differences by gender. Both active boys and girls stated smoking less (P < or = 0.01). The greater the age, the higher cigarette smoking and the lower the level of physical activity, both in boys and girls (p < 0.001). The level of physical activity is low, being even lower for girls. Cigarette smoking shows a negative relationship with the level of physical activity, the individuals more physically active being those smoking the less.

Self-reported activity level and knee function in amateur football players: the influence of age, gender, history of knee injury and level of competition.

PubMed

Frobell, R B; Svensson, E; Göthrick, M; Roos, E M

2008-07-01

The aim of this study is to investigate if self-reported activity level or knee functions are influenced by subject characteristics, level of competition and history of knee injury. Cross-Sectional study using questionnaires distributed at a personal visit. One hundred and eighty-eight (65 women) amateur football players in 10 football clubs from each division below national level participated in the study. Self-reported Tegner Activity Scale, and the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) are the main outcome measures. Older age, female gender and lower level of competition (football division) were independently associated with lower self-reported Tegner Activity Scale (P < 0.001). Subjects reporting history of knee injury had significantly worse KOOS scores (P < 0.001 for all subscales). In future studies, a clear description of how the Tegner Activity Scale was administered is recommended. We suggest that self-reported Tegner Activity Scale scores should be adjusted for age, gender and level of competition. In amateur football players, KOOS scores do not need adjustment for age and gender.

[Oncological results of active surveillance in prostate cancer: A retrospective multicentric cohort].

PubMed

Mortier, P; Bastide, C; Lechevallier, E; Walz, J; Fournier, R; Savoie, P-H; Ben Othman, K; Giorgi, R; André, M; Giusiano, S; Rossi, D

2017-01-01

To report oncological outcomes of patients with prostate cancer undergoing active surveillance according to SURACAP criteria. This multicentric study included patients who were initially treated with active surveillance for localized prostate cancer according to the SURACAP criteria. The duration of active surveillance as well as the causes of discontinuing the protocol and the definitive pathological results of patients who further underwent radical prostatectomy were retrospectively evaluated. The predictors of discontinuing active surveillance were assessed using a univariable Cox Model. In addition, the predictive value of initial MRI was assessed for patients who performed such imagery. Between 2007 and 2013, 80 patients were included, with a median age of 64 years [47-74]. Median follow-up was 52.9 months [24-108]. At 5 years follow-up, 43.4% patients were still under surveillance. Among patients that underwent surgery, 17.8% had an extra-capsular extension. The risk of discontinuing was not significantly greater for patients with tumor size of 2 or 3mm versus 1mm (HR=0.9 [0.46-1.75], P=0.763), 2 positives cores versus 1 (HR=0.98 [0.48-2.02], P=0.967), T2a vs. T1c stage (HR=2.18 [0.77-6.18], P=0.133), increased PSA level (HR=1 [0.96-1.15], P=0.975) or the patient's age (HR=1 [0.93-1.16], P=0.966). Among the 50 patients who performed initial MRI, the results of such imagery was not significantly associated to the risk of discontinuing active surveillance MRI (HR=1.49 [0.63-3.52], P=0.36). Although this study reveals a high rate of release from active surveillance at 5 years, the rate of extra-capsular tumors reported in the group of patients that underwent surgery is among the lowest in literature. 4. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Investigation of the Relationship between Physical Activity Level and Healthy Life-Style Behaviors of Academic Staff

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turkmen, Mutlu; Ozkan, Ali; Kul, Murat; Bozkus, Taner

2015-01-01

The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship of physical activity (PA) level and healthy life-style behaviors in academic staff in Bartin University, Turkey. The short form of International Physical Activity Questionnaire was administered for the determination of physical activity level of academic staff. Their PA levels were…

Results of the pilot proof of the inquiry activities conducted in the science center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kireš, Marián; BilišÅanská, Mária

2017-01-01

The science center SteelPARK Košice offers more than 60 interactive exhibits focused on presenting scientific principles and technical solutions connected to the production and manufacture of steel, research of its properties and its various industrial uses. We are trying to enhance the attractivity of the modern style of the exhibitions and its potential to engage students of ground and middle schools in acquiring new knowledge and capabilities, by means of the inquiry science center. Two laboratory measurements, for 5 three-person teams are provided once a month. During the introductory discussion on the activity, they are asked to answer a series of conceptual questions, which help determine their level of understanding at the beginning of the exercise. The measurements are based in guided inquiry, where the work progress is given a forehand, but the desired result is not. Every activity is focused on developing specific research capabilities. This is being monitored through a self-evaluation card, which every participants is required to fill out immediately after completing the activity. The work is tutored by a lecturer from the students of didactics. During two years and running 15 different activities, we have been able to gather information from more than 6000 students of ground and middle schools. Specific physics measurements, their respective conceptual questions, worksheets and final reports are being presented in this article. We evaluate the present level of conceptual understanding based on the acquired data and give recommendation to teachers on ways to improve the student's capabilities. The teacher, by way of observing the activity, the work of the lecturer and the students, is able to form an understanding of the inquiry activity for their own school practice, for which he/she can use all available methodical and work materials.

The relationship between particulate pollution levels in Australian cities, meteorology, and landscape fire activity detected from MODIS hotspots.

PubMed

Price, Owen F; Williamson, Grant J; Henderson, Sarah B; Johnston, Fay; Bowman, David M J S

2012-01-01

Smoke from bushfires is an emerging issue for fire managers because of increasing evidence for its public health effects. Development of forecasting models to predict future pollution levels based on the relationship between bushfire activity and current pollution levels would be a useful management tool. As a first step, we use daily thermal anomalies detected by the MODIS Active Fire Product (referred to as "hotspots"), pollution concentrations, and meteorological data for the years 2002 to 2008, to examine the statistical relationship between fire activity in the landscapes and pollution levels around Perth and Sydney, two large Australian cities. Resultant models were statistically significant, but differed in their goodness of fit and the distance at which the strength of the relationship was strongest. For Sydney, a univariate model for hotspot activity within 100 km explained 24% of variation in pollution levels, and the best model including atmospheric variables explained 56% of variation. For Perth, the best radius was 400 km, explaining only 7% of variation, while the model including atmospheric variables explained 31% of the variation. Pollution was higher when the atmosphere was more stable and in the presence of on-shore winds, whereas there was no effect of wind blowing from the fires toward the pollution monitors. Our analysis shows there is a good prospect for developing region-specific forecasting tools combining hotspot fire activity with meteorological data.

The Relationship between Particulate Pollution Levels in Australian Cities, Meteorology, and Landscape Fire Activity Detected from MODIS Hotspots

PubMed Central

Price, Owen F.; Williamson, Grant J.; Henderson, Sarah B.; Johnston, Fay; Bowman, David M. J. S.

2012-01-01

Smoke from bushfires is an emerging issue for fire managers because of increasing evidence for its public health effects. Development of forecasting models to predict future pollution levels based on the relationship between bushfire activity and current pollution levels would be a useful management tool. As a first step, we use daily thermal anomalies detected by the MODIS Active Fire Product (referred to as “hotspots”), pollution concentrations, and meteorological data for the years 2002 to 2008, to examine the statistical relationship between fire activity in the landscapes and pollution levels around Perth and Sydney, two large Australian cities. Resultant models were statistically significant, but differed in their goodness of fit and the distance at which the strength of the relationship was strongest. For Sydney, a univariate model for hotspot activity within 100 km explained 24% of variation in pollution levels, and the best model including atmospheric variables explained 56% of variation. For Perth, the best radius was 400 km, explaining only 7% of variation, while the model including atmospheric variables explained 31% of the variation. Pollution was higher when the atmosphere was more stable and in the presence of on-shore winds, whereas there was no effect of wind blowing from the fires toward the pollution monitors. Our analysis shows there is a good prospect for developing region-specific forecasting tools combining hotspot fire activity with meteorological data. PMID:23071788

Distribution and activity levels of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and 9 in canine and feline osteosarcoma.

PubMed

Gebhard, Christiane; Fuchs-Baumgartinger, Andrea; Razzazi-Fazeli, Ebrahim; Miller, Ingrid; Walter, Ingrid

2016-01-01

Overexpression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) has been associated with increased tumor aggressiveness and metastasis dissemination. We investigated whether the contrasting metastatic behavior of feline and canine osteosarcoma is related to levels and activities of MMP2 and MMP9. Zymography and immunohistochemistry were used to determine expression levels of MMP2 and MMP9 in canine and feline osteosarcoma. Using immunohistochemistry, increased MMP9 levels were identified in most canine osteosarcomas, whereas cat samples more often displayed moderate levels. High levels of pro-MMP9, pro-MMP2, and active MMP2 were detected by gelatin zymography in both species, with significantly higher values for active MMP2 in canine osteosarcoma. These findings indicate that MMP2 is probably involved in canine and feline osteosarcoma and their expression and activity could be associated with the different metastatic behavior of canine and feline osteosarcoma.

A grape seed extract increases active glucagon-like peptide-1 levels after an oral glucose load in rats.

PubMed

González-Abuín, Noemi; Martínez-Micaelo, Neus; Margalef, Maria; Blay, Mayte; Arola-Arnal, Anna; Muguerza, Begoña; Ardévol, Anna; Pinent, Montserrat

2014-09-01

We have previously reported that procyanidins, a class of flavonoids, improve glycemia and exert an incretin-like effect, which was linked to their proven inhibitory effect on the dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 (DPP4) activity. However, their actual effect on incretin levels has not been reported yet. Therefore, in the present study we have evaluated whether a grape seed extract enriched in procyanidins (GSPE) modulates plasma incretin levels and attempted to determine the mechanisms involved. An acute GSPE treatment in healthy Wistar female rats prior to an oral glucose load induced an increase in plasma active glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which was accompanied by an increase in the plasma insulin/glucose ratio and a simultaneous decrease in glucose levels. In agreement with our previous studies, the intestinal DPP4 activity was inhibited by the GSPE treatment. We have also assayed in vitro whether this inhibition occurs in inner intestinal tissues close to GLP-1-producing cells, such as the endothelium of the capillaries. We have found that the main compounds absorbed by intestinal CaCo-2 cells after an acute treatment with GSPE are catechin, epicatechin, B2 dimer and gallic acid, and that they inhibit the DPP4 activity in endothelial HUVEC cells in an additive way. Moreover, an increase in plasma total GLP-1 levels was found, suggesting an increase in GLP-1 secretion. In conclusion, our results show that GSPE improves glycemia through its action on GLP-1 secretion and on the inhibition of the inner intestinal DPP4 activity, leading to an increase in active GLP-1 levels, which, in turn, may affect the insulin release.

Changes in Levels of Phenylethanoid Glycosides, Antioxidant Activity, and Other Quality Traits in Cistanche deserticola Slices by Steam Processing.

PubMed

Peng, Fang; Chen, Jun; Wang, Xia; Xu, Changqing; Liu, Tongning; Xu, Rong

2016-07-01

We investigated the effect of steaming time on Cistanche deserticola Y. C. MA slices by analyzing levels of bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity, and weight loss compared with fresh, directly oven-dried, and blanched samples. Fresh samples had extremely low levels of phenylethanoid glycosides and antioxidant activity. Lower levels of weight loss and higher amounts of soluble sugars, polysaccharides, and dilute ethanol-soluble extracts were found when the slices were steamed rather than blanched. Slices steamed for 5 and 7 min contained significantly (p<0.05) higher amounts of acteoside, isoacteoside, and 2'-acetylacteoside than directly oven-dried samples. However, soluble sugars and dilute ethanol-soluble extracts decreased gradually throughout the steaming process. The concentration of polysaccharides fluctuated during the steaming process. The steaming time had a consistent effect on antioxidant properties evaluated by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging activity (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant property (FRAP), showing a significant increase and reaching 108.62, 23.08, and 11.68 micromoles Trolox per mass of fresh slice (μmol TE/g FW), respectively. The present results suggest that fresh-cut C. deserticola can be subjected to approximately 5-7 min of steaming to improve phenylethanoid glycoside levels and antioxidant activity, while still preserving the amounts of soluble sugars, polysaccharides, and dilute ethanol-soluble extracts. These results would help to improve the production process for fresh-cut Chinese medicines, and increase the understanding of their associated health benefits.

Moderate Levels of Activation Lead to Forgetting In the Think/No-Think Paradigm

PubMed Central

Detre, Greg J.; Natarajan, Annamalai; Gershman, Samuel J.; Norman, Kenneth A.

2013-01-01

Using the think/no-think paradigm (Anderson & Green, 2001), researchers have found that suppressing retrieval of a memory (in the presence of a strong retrieval cue) can make it harder to retrieve that memory on a subsequent test. This effect has been replicated numerous times, but the size of the effect is highly variable. Also, it is unclear from a neural mechanistic standpoint why preventing recall of a memory now should impair your ability to recall that memory later. Here, we address both of these puzzles using the idea, derived from computational modeling and studies of synaptic plasticity, that the function relating memory activation to learning is U-shaped, such that moderate levels of memory activation lead to weakening of the memory and higher levels of activation lead to strengthening. According to this view, forgetting effects in the think/no-think paradigm occur when the suppressed item activates moderately during the suppression attempt, leading to weakening; the effect is variable because sometimes the suppressed item activates strongly (leading to strengthening) and sometimes it does not activate at all (in which case no learning takes place). To test this hypothesis, we ran a think/no-think experiment where participants learned word-picture pairs; we used pattern classifiers, applied to fMRI data, to measure how strongly the picture associates were activating when participants were trying not to retrieve these associates, and we used a novel Bayesian curve-fitting procedure to relate this covert neural measure of retrieval to performance on a later memory test. In keeping with our hypothesis, the curve-fitting procedure revealed a nonmonotonic relationship between memory activation (as measured by the classifier) and subsequent memory, whereby moderate levels of activation of the to-be-suppressed item led to diminished performance on the final memory test, and higher levels of activation led to enhanced performance on the final test. PMID:23499722

Moderate levels of activation lead to forgetting in the think/no-think paradigm.

PubMed

Detre, Greg J; Natarajan, Annamalai; Gershman, Samuel J; Norman, Kenneth A

2013-10-01

Using the think/no-think paradigm (Anderson & Green, 2001), researchers have found that suppressing retrieval of a memory (in the presence of a strong retrieval cue) can make it harder to retrieve that memory on a subsequent test. This effect has been replicated numerous times, but the size of the effect is highly variable. Also, it is unclear from a neural mechanistic standpoint why preventing recall of a memory now should impair your ability to recall that memory later. Here, we address both of these puzzles using the idea, derived from computational modeling and studies of synaptic plasticity, that the function relating memory activation to learning is U-shaped, such that moderate levels of memory activation lead to weakening of the memory and higher levels of activation lead to strengthening. According to this view, forgetting effects in the think/no-think paradigm occur when the suppressed item activates moderately during the suppression attempt, leading to weakening; the effect is variable because sometimes the suppressed item activates strongly (leading to strengthening) and sometimes it does not activate at all (in which case no learning takes place). To test this hypothesis, we ran a think/no-think experiment where participants learned word-picture pairs; we used pattern classifiers, applied to fMRI data, to measure how strongly the picture associates were activating when participants were trying not to retrieve these associates, and we used a novel Bayesian curve-fitting procedure to relate this covert neural measure of retrieval to performance on a later memory test. In keeping with our hypothesis, the curve-fitting procedure revealed a nonmonotonic relationship between memory activation (as measured by the classifier) and subsequent memory, whereby moderate levels of activation of the to-be-suppressed item led to diminished performance on the final memory test, and higher levels of activation led to enhanced performance on the final test. Copyright �

Physical activity levels of overweight or obese breast cancer survivors: Correlates at entry into a weight loss intervention study

PubMed Central

Liu, Fred X.; Flatt, Shirley W.; Pakiz, Bilgé; Sedjo, Rebecca L.; Wolin, Kathleen Y.; Blair, Cindy K.; Demark-Wahnefried, Wendy; Rock, Cheryl L.

2015-01-01

Purpose Physical activity is associated with reduced risk and progression of breast cancer, and exercise can improve physical function, quality of life and fatigue in cancer survivors. Evidence on factors associated with cancer survivors’ adherence to physical activity guidelines from the American Cancer Society and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is mixed. This study seeks to help fill this gap in knowledge by examining correlates with physical activity among breast cancer survivors. Methods Overweight or obese breast cancer survivors (N=692) were examined at enrollment into a weight loss intervention study. Questionnaires and medical record review ascertained data on education, race, ethnicity, menopausal status, physical activity, and medical history. Measures of anthropometrics and fitness level were conducted. Regression analysis examined associations between physical activity and demographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors. Results Overall, 23% of women met current guidelines. Multivariate analysis revealed that body mass index (p=0.03), emergency room visits in the past year (p=0.04), and number of co-morbidities (p=0.02) were associated with less physical activity. Geographic region also was associated with level of physical activity (p=0.02), with women in Alabama reporting significantly less activity than those in other participating regions. Conclusions The majority of overweight/obese breast cancer survivors did not meet physical activity recommendations. Physical activity levels were associated with degree of adiposity, geographic location, and number of co-morbidities. The majority of overweight breast cancer survivors should be encouraged to increase their level of physical activity. Individualizing exercise prescriptions according to medical co-morbidities may improve adherence. PMID:25975675

Sialidase activity in aerobic vaginitis is equal to levels during bacterial vaginosis.

PubMed

Marconi, C; Donders, G G G; Bellen, G; Brown, D R; Parada, C M G L; Silva, M G

2013-04-01

To evaluate levels of proinflammatory cytokines and sialidase activity in aerobic vaginitis (AV) in relation to normal vaginal flora and bacterial vaginosis (BV). In this cross-sectional study, a total of 682 consecutive non-pregnant women attending the gynecology service were assessed and 408 women were included. Vaginal rinsing samples were collected from 223 women with microscopic finding of BV (n=98), aerobic vaginitis (n=25) and normal flora (n=100). Samples were tested for interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and sialidase activity. Compared to women with normal flora, vaginal levels of IL-1β were highly increased in both BV and AV (p<0.0001). Significantly higher vaginal IL-6 was detected in AV (p<0.0001) but not in BV, in relation to normal flora. Women with AV also presented increased IL-8 levels (p<0.001), while those with BV presented levels similar to normal flora. Sialidase was increased in BV and AV compared with the normal group (p<0.0001) but no difference in sialidase activity was observed between BV and AV. A more intense inflammatory host response occurs for AV than for BV when compared with normal flora. Furthermore, the increased sialidase activity in AV and BV indicates that both abnormal vaginal flora types can be harmful to the maintenance of a healthy vaginal environment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of low-level laser therapy on the modulation of the mitochondrial activity of macrophages

PubMed Central

Souza, Nadhia H. C.; Ferrari, Raquel A. M.; Silva, Daniela F. T.; Nunes, Fabio D.; Bussadori, Sandra K.; Fernandes, Kristianne P. S.

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: Macrophages play a major role among the inflammatory cells that invade muscle tissue following an injury. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has long been used in clinical practice to accelerate the muscle repair process. However, little is known regarding its effect on macrophages. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the effect of LLLT on the mitochondrial activity (MA) of macrophages. METHOD: J774 macrophages were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon - gamma (IFN-γ) (activation) for 24 h to simulate an inflammatory process, then irradiated with LLLT using two sets of parameters (780 nm; 70 mW; 3 J/cm2 and 660 nm; 15 mW; 7.5 J/cm2). Non-activated/non-irradiated cells composed the control group. MA was evaluated by the cell mitochondrial activity (MTT) assay (after 1, 3 and 5 days) in three independent experiments. The data were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: After 1 day of culture, activated and 780 nm irradiated macrophages showed lower MA than activated macrophages, but activated and 660 nm irradiated macrophages showed MA similar to activated cells. After 3 days, activated and irradiated (660 nm and 780 nm) macrophages showed greater MA than activated macrophages, and after 5 days, the activated and irradiated (660 nm and 780 nm) macrophages showed similar MA to the activated macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that 660 nm and 780 nm LLLT can modulate the cellular activation status of macrophages in inflammation, highlighting the importance of this resource and of the correct determination of its parameters in the repair process of skeletal muscle. PMID:25076002

Physical Activity Enjoyment and Self-Efficacy As Predictors of Cancer Patients' Physical Activity Level

PubMed Central

Ungar, Nadine; Wiskemann, Joachim; Sieverding, Monika

2016-01-01

Background: Physical activity (PA) can support cancer patients during medical treatment by reducing side-effects and increasing quality of life. However, PA levels mostly decline after diagnosis. Which factors can explain if patients are able to remain or even increase their PA level? Self-efficacy is an important cognitive factor that has been linked to cancer patients' PA across many studies. In contrast, affective factors such as PA enjoyment have rarely been examined. We compare the influence of self-efficacy and PA enjoyment on cancer patients' PA levels after completion of an exercise or stress-management intervention. Methods: Outpatient cancer patients [N = 72; 54% female; M = 56 years, SD = 12.34; most with breast or colon cancer (34%, 15%)] were enrolled in the MOTIVACTION study, a 4-week intervention (1 h counseling followed by weekly phone calls), with pre-test (T1), post-test (T2), and a 10-week follow-up (T3). Participants were randomized to either an exercise intervention (emphasizing self-regulatory strategies for behavior change) or to a stress management intervention (coping and relaxation techniques). Sixty-seven patients remained in the study and completed the SQUASH assessment of PA, a measure of maintenance self-efficacy (7 items, Cronbach's α = 0.88) and PA enjoyment (2 items, Cronbach's α = 0.89). Regression analyses were calculated with PA level (at T2 and T3) as dependent variable and relative weight analyses were conducted. The study was registered at clinicalTrials.gov (unique identifier:NCT01576107; URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01576107?term=motivaction&rank=1). Results: Baseline self-efficacy and change in PA enjoyment significantly predicted cancer patients' PA level at T2 adjusting for baseline PA and type of intervention. Relative weight (RW) analysis revealed that PA enjoyment (baseline and change together) explained 34.3% of the dependent variable, self-efficacy (baseline and change) explained 38.4%. At follow

Weight gain prevention in the school worksite setting: Results of a multi-level cluster randomized trial

PubMed Central

Lemon, Stephenie C.; Wang, Monica L.; Wedick, Nicole M.; Estabrook, Barbara; Druker, Susan; Schneider, Kristin L.; Li, Wenjun; Pbert, Lori

2014-01-01

Objective To describe the effectiveness, reach and implementation of a weight gain prevention intervention among public school employees. Method A multi-level intervention was tested in a cluster randomized trial among 782 employees in 12 central Massachusetts public high schools from 2009 to 2012. The intervention targeted the nutrition and physical activity environment and policies, the social environment and individual knowledge, attitudes and skills. The intervention was compared to a materials only condition. The primary outcome measures were change in weight and body mass index (BMI) at 24-month follow-up. Implementation of physical environment, policy and social environment strategies at the school and interpersonal levels, and intervention participation at the individual level were assessed. Results At 24-month follow-up, there was a net change (difference of the difference) of −3.03 pounds (p=.04) and of −.48 BMI units (p=.05) between intervention and comparison conditions. The majority of intervention strategies were successfully implemented by all intervention schools, although establishing formal policies was challenging. Employee participation in programs targeting the physical and social environment was maintained over time. Conclusion This study supports that a multi-level intervention integrated within the organizational culture can be successfully implemented and prevent weight gain in public high school employees. PMID:24345602

Results From Malaysia's 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents.

PubMed

Sharif, Razinah; Chong, Kar Hau; Zakaria, Nur Hadiyani; Ong, Min Li; Reilly, John J; Wong, Jyh Eiin; Saad, Hazizi Abu; Poh, Bee Koon

2016-11-01

The 2016 Malaysia Active Healthy Kids Report Card aims to collect, assess, and grade current and comprehensive data on physical activity (PA) and associated factors in Malaysian children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 years. This report card was developed following the Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card protocol. The Research Working Group identified the core matrices, assessed the key data sources, and evaluated the evidence gathered for grade assignments. A grade was assigned to each indicator by comparing the best available evidence against relevant benchmark using a standardized grading scheme. Overall Physical Activity, Active Transportation, and Sedentary Behavior were assigned the D grade. The lowest grade of F was assigned to Diet, while School and Government Strategies and Investments were graded higher with a B. Five indicators were assigned INC (incomplete) due to a lack of representative data. The report card demonstrates that Malaysian children and adolescents are engaging in low levels of PA and active commuting, high levels of screen time, and have extremely low compliance with dietary recommendations. More efforts are needed to address the root causes of physical inactivity while increasing the opportunities for children and adolescents to be more physically active.

Distribution and activity levels of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and 9 in canine and feline osteosarcoma

PubMed Central

Gebhard, Christiane; Fuchs-Baumgartinger, Andrea; Razzazi-Fazeli, Ebrahim; Miller, Ingrid; Walter, Ingrid

2016-01-01

Overexpression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) has been associated with increased tumor aggressiveness and metastasis dissemination. We investigated whether the contrasting metastatic behavior of feline and canine osteosarcoma is related to levels and activities of MMP2 and MMP9. Zymography and immunohistochemistry were used to determine expression levels of MMP2 and MMP9 in canine and feline osteosarcoma. Using immunohistochemistry, increased MMP9 levels were identified in most canine osteosarcomas, whereas cat samples more often displayed moderate levels. High levels of pro-MMP9, pro-MMP2, and active MMP2 were detected by gelatin zymography in both species, with significantly higher values for active MMP2 in canine osteosarcoma. These findings indicate that MMP2 is probably involved in canine and feline osteosarcoma and their expression and activity could be associated with the different metastatic behavior of canine and feline osteosarcoma. PMID:26733734

Accelerating activity coefficient calculations using multicore platforms, and profiling the energy use resulting from such calculations.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Topping, David; Alibay, Irfan; Bane, Michael

2017-04-01

To predict the evolving concentration, chemical composition and ability of aerosol particles to act as cloud droplets, we rely on numerical modeling. Mechanistic models attempt to account for the movement of compounds between the gaseous and condensed phases at a molecular level. This 'bottom up' approach is designed to increase our fundamental understanding. However, such models rely on predicting the properties of molecules and subsequent mixtures. For partitioning between the gaseous and condensed phases this includes: saturation vapour pressures; Henrys law coefficients; activity coefficients; diffusion coefficients and reaction rates. Current gas phase chemical mechanisms predict the existence of potentially millions of individual species. Within a dynamic ensemble model, this can often be used as justification for neglecting computationally expensive process descriptions. Indeed, on whether we can quantify the true sensitivity to uncertainties in molecular properties, even at the single aerosol particle level it has been impossible to embed fully coupled representations of process level knowledge with all possible compounds, typically relying on heavily parameterised descriptions. Relying on emerging numerical frameworks, and designed for the changing landscape of high-performance computing (HPC), in this study we focus specifically on the ability to capture activity coefficients in liquid solutions using the UNIFAC method. Activity coefficients are often neglected with the largely untested hypothesis that they are simply too computationally expensive to include in dynamic frameworks. We present results demonstrating increased computational efficiency for a range of typical scenarios, including a profiling of the energy use resulting from reliance on such computations. As the landscape of HPC changes, the latter aspect is important to consider in future applications.

Geospatial Relationships between Awareness and Utilization of Community Exercise Resources and Physical Activity Levels in Older Adults.

PubMed

Dondzila, Christopher J; Swartz, Ann M; Keenan, Kevin G; Harley, Amy E; Azen, Razia; Strath, Scott J

2014-01-01

Introduction. It is unclear if community-based fitness resources (CBFR) translate to heightened activity levels within neighboring areas. The purpose of this study was to determine whether awareness and utilization of fitness resources and physical activity differed depending on residential distance from CBFR. Methods. Four hundred and seventeen older adults (72.9 ± 7.7 years) were randomly recruited from three spatial tiers (≤1.6, >1.6 to ≤3.2, and >3.2 to 8.0 km) surrounding seven senior centers, which housed CBFR. Participants completed questionnaires on health history, CBFR, and physical activity, gathering data on CBFR awareness, utilization, and barriers, overall levels, and predictors to engagement in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Results. Across spatial tiers, there were no differences in positive awareness rates of CBFR or CBFR utilization. Engagement in MVPA differed across spatial tiers (P < 0.001), with the >3.2 to 8.0 km radius having the highest mean energy expenditure. Across all sites, age and income level (P < 0.05) were significant predictors of low and high amounts of MVPA, respectively, and current health status and lack of interest represented barriers to CBFR utilization (P < 0.05). Conclusion. Closer proximity to CBFR did not impact awareness or utilization rates and had an inverse relationship with physical activity.

Somatic, but not cognitive, symptoms of anxiety predict lower levels of physical activity in panic disorder patients.

PubMed

Belem da Silva, Cristiano Tschiedel; Schuch, Felipe; Costa, Marianna; Hirakata, Vania; Manfro, Gisele Gus

2014-08-01

Anxiety disorders have gathered much attention as possible risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD), possibly mediated by an unhealthy lifestyle (e.g. low physical activity). However, prospective studies on anxiety disorders and CVD show conflicting results. A possible explanation is that somatic symptoms of anxiety may have a more specific cardiovascular effect than cognitive symptoms across different anxiety disorders. The present study investigated the association between cognitive and somatic symptoms of anxiety and physical activity (PA) in a sample of panic disorder (PD) outpatients. One-hundred and two outpatients with a lifetime diagnosis of PD from a previously studied cohort were contacted. Patients were evaluated throughout the MINI, the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). After performing a multivariate regression analysis, groups were divided into high and low somatic anxiety. Patients with high somatic anxiety showed a significantly higher prevalence of low level of PA as compared to those with low somatic anxiety (62.5 versus 34.3%; χ²= 5.33; df=1; P=.021). Somatic symptoms of anxiety remained the only important predictors of low level of PA (odds ratio [OR] 2.81; 95% CI 1.00-7.90; p=.050) in the multivariate model. The main limitations of the present study are the cross-sectional design and the small sample size. Results support specific effects of somatic symptoms of anxiety on risk for low level of PA, which might explain inconsistent results regarding CVD risk in the literature. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

GC protein-derived macrophage-activating factor decreases α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase levels in advanced cancer patients.

PubMed

Thyer, Lynda; Ward, Emma; Smith, Rodney; Branca, Jacopo Jv; Morucci, Gabriele; Gulisano, Massimo; Noakes, David; Eslinger, Robert; Pacini, Stefania

2013-08-01

α- N -acetylgalactosaminidase (nagalase) accumulates in the serum of cancer patients and its activity correlates with tumor burden, aggressiveness and clinical disease progression. The administration of GC protein-derived macrophage-activating factor (GcMAF) to cancer patients with elevated levels of nagalase has been associated with a decrease of serum nagalase activity and with significant clinical benefits. Here, we report the results of the administration of GcMAF to a heterogeneous cohort of patients with histologically diverse, advanced neoplasms, generally considered as "incurable" diseases. In most cases, GcMAF therapy was initiated at late stages of tumor progression. As this is an open-label, non-controlled, retrospective analysis, caution must be employed when establishing cause-effect relationships between the administration GcMAF and disease outcome. However, the response to GcMAF was generally robust and some trends emerged. All patients (n = 20) presented with elevated serum nagalase activity, well above normal values. All patients but one showed a significant decrease of serum nagalase activity upon weekly GcMAF injections. Decreased nagalase activity was associated with improved clinical conditions and no adverse side effects were reported. The observations reported here confirm and extend previous results and pave the way to further studies aimed at assessing the precise role and indications for GcMAF-based anticancer immunotherapy.

Divided attention modulates semantic activation: evidence from a nonletter-level prime task.

PubMed

Otsuka, Sachio; Kawaguchi, Jun

2007-12-01

Research has recently shown that semantic activation is modulated in proportion to the amount of attention required for letter-level processing of the prime (the attention modulation hypothesis; Smith, Bentin, & Spalek, 2001). In this study, we examined this hypothesis with an auditory divided-attention task. Participants were asked to decide whether the pitch of a probe tone presented with the prime word was higher or lower than the basic tone presented with the fixation cross. Their target task was lexical decision to the target word. Experiment 1 showed that semantic priming was modulated by the amount of attentional resources. Moreover, in Experiment 2, this modulation was also found in a situation that eliminated the possibility of participants' response strategies. Yet, Experiment 3 showed repetition priming to be unaffected. These results support an amended attention modulation hypothesis in which modulation is not limited to letter-level processing.

A Relationship Between Microbial Activity in Soils and Phosphate Levels in Tributaries to Lake Champlain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larose, R.; Lee, S.; Lane, T.

2015-12-01

Lake Champlain is a large natural freshwater lake. It forms the western boundary of Vermont and drains over half of the state. It is bordered by the state of New York on its western side and drains to the north into Quebec, Canada. Lake Champlain is the source of fresh drinking water for over quarter of a million people and provides for the livelihoods and recreational opportunities of many well beyond its borders. The health of this lake is important. During the summer month's algae blooms plague the lake. These unsightly growths, which affect other aquatic organisms, are the result of excess phosphate flowing into the lake from many sources. Examining whether there is a relationship between microbial activity in the soils bordering tributaries to Lake Champlain and phosphate levels in those tributaries sheds insight into the origins and paths by which phosphate moves into Lake Champlain. Understanding the how phosphate moves into the water system may assist in mitigation efforts.Total Phosphate levels and Total Suspended Solids were measured in second and third order streams in the Lake Champlain Basin over a three-year period. In addition microbial activity was measured within the toe, bank and upland riparian zone areas of these streams during the summer months. In general in areas showing greater microbial activity in the soil(s) there were increased levels of phosphate in the streams.

Validity of a combined fibromyalgia (FM) questionnaires to asses physical activity levels in Spanish elderly women: an experimental approach.

PubMed

Cancela, José María; Varela, Silvia; Alvarez, María José; Molina, Antonio; Ayán, Carlos; Martín, Vicente

2011-01-01

Questionnaires designed to assess the level of physical activity among elderly Spanish speaking women usually have problems of reproducibility and are difficult to administer. This study aims to validate a Spanish combined version of two questionnaires originally designed to assess physical activity levels in fibromyalgia women. The leisure time physical activity instrument (LTPAI) and the physical activity at home and work instrument (PAHWI). Both questionnaires were translated to Spanish using translation/back translation methodology, and then were administered to 44 women aged 60-80 twice, with an interval of 2 weeks. During the first administration, participants answered the Yale physical activity questionnaires (YPAS) and performed the 6-min walking test (6MWT). Although the Spanish version of the LTPAI and the PAWHI showed poor test-retest reliability and poor construct validity, the sum of the two questionnaires showed much better associations. The results suggest that the Spanish combined version of LTPAI and PAHWI would seem to be useful tools for assessing the level of physical activity among elderly Spanish speaking women. Nevertheless, such considerations as the cultural adaptation of their content or the link between the intensity of physical activity as perceived and that actually done must be adjusted for greater efficiency. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Examining individual, interpersonal, and environmental influences on children's physical activity levels.

PubMed

Wilk, Piotr; Clark, Andrew F; Maltby, Alana; Smith, Christine; Tucker, Patricia; Gilliland, Jason A

2018-04-01

The purpose of this study was to explore individual-level socio-demographic factors and interpersonal-level factors related to social support, as well as the potential role of neighborhood and school environments that may influence the physical activity (PA) levels of children (ages 9-11). Child and parent questionnaires included individual and interpersonal factors, and PA behaviour. Home postal codes were used to determine the neighbourhood the child resides within, as well as their geographic accessibility to recreation opportunities. The models were assessed using a series of cross-classified random-intercept multi-level regression models as children's PA may be affected by both the school they attend and the neighbourhood in which they live. In the unadjusted model, PA varied significantly across school environments (γ = 0.023; CI: 0.003-0.043), but not across neighbourhoods (γ = 0.007; CI: -0.008 to 0.021). Boys were found to be more active compared to girls (b = 0.183; CI: 0.092-0.275), while the level of PA was lower for children whose fathers achieved post-secondary education (b = - 0.197; CI: -0.376 to 0.018) than for those whose parents completed only high school. The addition of the individual-level correlates did not have a substantial effect on level 2 variances and the level 2 variance associated with school environment remained statistically significant. At the interpersonal level, children's perception of parental support (b = 0.117; CI: 0.091-0.143) and peer support (b = 0.111; CI: 0.079-0.142) were positively related to PA. The level 2 variance for the school environment became statistically non-significant when the interpersonal factors were added to the model. At the environmental level, geographic accessibility did not have a significant association with PA and they did not significantly affect level 1 or 2 variance. As many children do not accrue sufficient levels of PA, identifying modifiable determinants is necessary to develop effective

Measuring mitochondrial uncoupling protein-2 level and activity in insulinoma cells.

PubMed

Barlow, Jonathan; Hirschberg, Verena; Brand, Martin D; Affourtit, Charles

2013-01-01

Mitochondrial uncoupling protein-2 (UCP2) regulates glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) by pancreatic beta cells-the physiological role of the beta cell UCP2 remains a subject of debate. Experimental studies informing this debate benefit from reliable measurements of UCP2 protein level and activity. In this chapter, we describe how UCP2 protein can be detected in INS-1 insulinoma cells and how it can be knocked down by RNA interference. We demonstrate briefly that UCP2 knockdown lowers glucose-induced rises in mitochondrial respiratory activity, coupling efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation, levels of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species, and insulin secretion. We provide protocols for the detection of the respective UCP2 phenotypes, which are indirect, but invaluable measures of UCP2 activity. We also introduce a convenient method to normalize cellular respiration to cell density allowing measurement of UCP2 effects on specific mitochondrial oxygen consumption. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lipin-1 Phosphatidic Phosphatase Activity Modulates Phosphatidate Levels to Promote Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor γ (PPARγ) Gene Expression during Adipogenesis*

PubMed Central

Zhang, Peixiang; Takeuchi, Kazuharu; Csaki, Lauren S.; Reue, Karen

2012-01-01

Adipose tissue plays a key role in metabolic homeostasis. Disruption of the Lpin1 gene encoding lipin-1 causes impaired adipose tissue development and function in rodents. Lipin-1 functions as a phosphatidate phosphatase (PAP) enzyme in the glycerol 3-phosphate pathway for triglyceride storage and as a transcriptional coactivator/corepressor for metabolic nuclear receptors. Previous studies established that lipin-1 is required at an early step in adipocyte differentiation for induction of the adipogenic gene transcription program, including the key regulator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ). Here, we investigate the requirement of lipin-1 PAP versus coactivator function in the establishment of Pparg expression during adipocyte differentiation. We demonstrate that PAP activity supplied by lipin-1, lipin-2, or lipin-3, but not lipin-1 coactivator activity, can rescue Pparg gene expression and lipogenesis during adipogenesis in lipin-1-deficient preadipocytes. In adipose tissue from lipin-1-deficient mice, there is an accumulation of phosphatidate species containing a range of medium chain fatty acids and an activation of the MAPK/extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) signaling pathway. Phosphatidate inhibits differentiation of cultured adipocytes, and this can be rescued by the expression of lipin-1 PAP activity or by inhibition of ERK signaling. These results emphasize the importance of lipid intermediates as choreographers of gene regulation during adipogenesis, and the results highlight a specific role for lipins as determinants of levels of a phosphatidic acid pool that influences Pparg expression. PMID:22157014

Distinguishing body mass and activity level from the lower limb: can entheses diagnose obesity?

PubMed

Godde, Kanya; Taylor, Rebecca Wilson

2013-03-10

The ability to estimate body size from the skeleton has broad applications, but is especially important to the forensic community when identifying unknown skeletal remains. This research investigates the utility of using entheses/muscle skeletal markers of the lower limb to estimate body size and to classify individuals into average, obese, and active categories, while using a biomechanical approach to interpret the results. Eighteen muscle attachment sites of the lower limb, known to be involved in the sit-to-stand transition, were scored for robusticity and stress in 105 white males (aged 31-81 years) from the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection. Both logistic regression and log linear models were applied to the data to (1) test the utility of entheses as an indicator of body weight and activity level, and (2) to generate classification percentages that speak to the accuracy of the method. Thirteen robusticity scores differed significantly between the groups, but classification percentages were only slightly greater than chance. However, clear differences could be seen between the average and obese and the average and active groups. Stress scores showed no value in discriminating between groups. These results were interpreted in relation to biomechanical forces at the microscopic and macroscopic levels. Even though robusticity alone is not able to classify individuals well, its significance may show greater value when incorporated into a model that has multiple skeletal indicators. Further research needs to evaluate a larger sample and incorporate several lines of evidence to improve classification rates. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Postgraduation Activities: All Degree Levels in Pennsylvania, 1984.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brehman, George E., Jr.

Results of a survey of 1984 Pennsylvania college graduates are presented. A total of 47,055 graduates of 145 institutions were surveyed, including the associate, bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and first-professional levels. Information is provided on proportions of graduates in each degree field and level that are: employed full-time in their…

Non-occupational physical activity levels of shift workers compared with non-shift workers

PubMed Central

Loef, Bette; Hulsegge, Gerben; Wendel-Vos, G C Wanda; Verschuren, W M Monique; Bakker, Marije F; van der Beek, Allard J; Proper, Karin I

2017-01-01

Objectives Lack of physical activity (PA) has been hypothesised as an underlying mechanism in the adverse health effects of shift work. Therefore, our aim was to compare non-occupational PA levels between shift workers and non-shift workers. Furthermore, exposure–response relationships for frequency of night shifts and years of shift work regarding non-occupational PA levels were studied. Methods Data of 5980 non-shift workers and 532 shift workers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Netherlands (EPIC-NL) were used in these cross-sectional analyses. Time spent (hours/week) in different PA types (walking/cycling/exercise/chores) and intensities (moderate/vigorous) were calculated based on self-reported PA. Furthermore, sports were operationalised as: playing sports (no/yes), individual versus non-individual sports, and non-vigorous-intensity versus vigorous-intensity sports. PA levels were compared between shift workers and non-shift workers using Generalized Estimating Equations and logistic regression. Results Shift workers reported spending more time walking than non-shift workers (B=2.3 (95% CI 1.2 to 3.4)), but shift work was not associated with other PA types and any of the sports activities. Shift workers who worked 1–4 night shifts/month (B=2.4 (95% CI 0.6 to 4.3)) and ≥5 night shifts/month (B=3.7 (95% CI 1.8 to 5.6)) spent more time walking than non-shift workers. No exposure–response relationships were found between years of shift work and PA levels. Conclusions Shift workers spent more time walking than non-shift workers, but we observed no differences in other non-occupational PA levels. To better understand if and how PA plays a role in the negative health consequences of shift work, our findings need to be confirmed in future studies. PMID:27872151

ORMDL3 expression levels have no influence on the activity of serine palmitoyltransferase.

PubMed

Zhakupova, Assem; Debeuf, Nincy; Krols, Michiel; Toussaint, Wendy; Vanhoutte, Leen; Alecu, Irina; Kutalik, Zoltán; Vollenweider, Peter; Ernst, Daniela; von Eckardstein, Arnold; Lambrecht, Bart N; Janssens, Sophie; Hornemann, Thorsten

2016-12-01

ORMDL proteins are believed to be negative regulators of serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT), which catalyzes the first and rate limiting step in sphingolipid (SL) de novo synthesis. Several single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are close to the ORMDL3 locus have been reported to increase ORMDL3 expression and to be associated with an elevated risk for early childhood asthma; however, the direct effect of ORMDL3 expression on SPT activity and its link to asthma remains elusive. In this study, we investigated whether ORMDL3 expression is associated with changes in SPT activity and total SL levels. Ormdl3-knockout (Ormdl3 -/- ) and transgenic (Ormdl3 Tg/wt ) mice were generated to study the effect of ORMDL3 on total SL levels in plasma and tissues. Cellular SPT activity was measured in mouse embryonic fibroblasts from Ormdl3 -/- mice, as well as in HEK293 cells in which ORMDL3 was overexpressed and silenced. Furthermore, we analyzed the association of the reported ORMDL3 asthma SNPs with plasma sphingoid bases in a population-based cohort of 971 individuals. Total C 18 -long chain bases were not significantly altered in the plasma and tissues of Ormdl3 -/- mice, whereas C 18 -sphinganine showed a small and significant increase in plasma, lung, and liver tissues. Mouse embryonic fibroblast cells from Ormdl3 -/- mice did not show an altered SPT activity compared with Ormdl3 +/- and Ormdl3 +/+ mice. Overexpression or knockdown of ORMDL3 in HEK293 cells did not alter SPT activity; however, parallel knockdown of all 3 ORMDL isoforms increased enzyme activity significantly. A significant association of the annotated ORMDL3 asthma SNPs with plasma long-chain sphingoid base levels could not be confirmed. ORMDL3 expression levels seem not to be directly associated with changes in SPT activity. ORMDL3 might influence de novo sphingolipid metabolism downstream of SPT.-Zhakupova, A., Debeuf, N., Krols, M., Toussaint, W., Vanhoutte, L., Alecu, I., Kutalik, Z., Vollenweider, P

Assessment of activity in Sarcoidosis. Sensitivity and specificity of 67Gallium scintigraphy, serum ACE levels, chest roentgenography, and blood lymphocyte subpopulations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klech, H.; Kohn, H.; Kummer, F.

1982-12-01

The value of different factors are examined to assess activity in 60 patients with biopsy-proven sarcoidosis. In patients with active sarcoidosis (n . 35), /sup 67/Ga scans proved to be the most sensitive method (94 percent sensitivity), followed by serum angiotensin I converting enzyme (S-ACE) levels, chest x-ray films, and lymphocyte assays. In patients with peripheral pulmonary lesions, chest x-ray films failed in 32 percent of cases to document activity (68 percent sensitivity) whereas /sup 67/Ga scans and S-ACE levels remained to give reliable results. Despite poor specificity, negative /sup 67/Ga scans together with normal ACE levels have a highmore » predictive value for exclusion of active sarcoidosis. In patients with peripheral pulmonary lesions, chest roentgenography is of doubtful value for staging lung involvement and assessment of activity including monitoring and control of therapy.« less

State-Level Farmers Market Activities: A Review of CDC-Funded State Public Health Actions That Support Farmers Markets

PubMed Central

Kahin, Sahra A.; Wright, Demia S.; Pejavara, Anu; Kim, Sonia A.

2016-01-01

Context Introducing farmers markets to underserved areas, or supporting existing farmers markets, can increase access and availability of fruits and vegetables and encourage healthy eating. Since 2003, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) has provided guidance and funding to state health departments (SHDs) to support the implementation of interventions, including activities around farmers markets, to address healthy eating, and improve the access to and availability of fruits and vegetables at state and community levels. Objective For this project, we identified state-level farmers market activities completed with CDC’s DNPAO funding from 2003 to 2013. State-level was defined as actions taken by the state health department that influence or support farmers market work across the state. Design and Participants We completed an analysis of SHD farmers market activities of 3 DNPAO cooperative agreements from 2003 to 2013: State Nutrition and Physical Activity Programs to Prevent Obesity and Other Chronic Diseases; Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity Program; and Communities Putting Prevention to Work. To identify state farmers market activities, data sources for each cooperative agreement were searched using the key words “farm,” “market,” “produce market,” and “produce stand.” State data with at least one state-level farmers market action present were then coded for the presence of itemized activities. Results Across all cooperative agreements, the most common activities identified through analysis included the following: working on existing markets and nutrition assistance benefit programs, supporting community action, and providing training and technical assistance. Common partners were nutrition assistance benefit program offices and state or regional Department of Agriculture or agricultural extension offices. Implications for Policy & Practice Common farmers

Increased visfatin levels are associated with higher disease activity in anti-Jo-1-positive myositis patients.

PubMed

Hulejová, Hana; Kryštůfková, Olga; Mann, Heřman; Klein, Martin; Pavlíčková, Klára; Zámečník, Josef; Vencovský, Jiří; Šenolt, Ladislav

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate serum levels of visfatin in anti-Jo-1-positive myositis patients, its expression in muscle tissue and to investigate potential relationships between visfatin, B-cell activating factor of the TNF family (BAFF), disease activity and anti-Jo-1 autoantibody levels. Serum levels of visfatin and BAFF were measured in 38 anti-Jo-1 positive myositis patients and 35 healthy subjects. Disease activity was evaluated by myositis disease activity assessment tool (MYOACT) using visual analogue scales (VAS) and by serum muscle enzymes. Visfatin expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in muscle tissue of myositis patients (n=10) and compared with non-inflammatory control muscle tissue samples from patients with myasthenia gravis (n=5). Serum visfatin and BAFF levels were significantly higher in myositis patients compared to healthy subjects and were associated with clinical muscle activity assessed by VAS. Only serum BAFF levels, but not visfatin levels, positively correlated with muscle enzyme concentrations and anti-Jo1 antibody levels. There was a positive correlation between visfatin and BAFF serum levels in myositis patients but a negative correlation was observed in healthy subjects. Visfatin expression was up-regulated in endomysial and perimysial inflammatory infiltrates of muscle tissue from myositis patients. Up-regulation of visfatin in myositis muscle tissue and an association between increased visfatin levels and muscle disease activity evaluated by MYOACT in anti-Jo-1 positive myositis patients could support possible role of visfatin in the pathogenesis of myositis.

Hsp83 loss suppresses proteasomal activity resulting in an upregulation of caspase-dependent compensatory autophagy.

PubMed

Choutka, Courtney; DeVorkin, Lindsay; Go, Nancy Erro; Hou, Ying-Chen Claire; Moradian, Annie; Morin, Gregg B; Gorski, Sharon M

2017-09-02

The 2 main degradative pathways that contribute to proteostasis are the ubiquitin-proteasome system and autophagy but how they are molecularly coordinated is not well understood. Here, we demonstrate an essential role for an effector caspase in the activation of compensatory autophagy when proteasomal activity is compromised. Functional loss of Hsp83, the Drosophila ortholog of human HSP90 (heat shock protein 90), resulted in reduced proteasomal activity and elevated levels of the effector caspase Dcp-1. Surprisingly, genetic analyses showed that the caspase was not required for cell death in this context, but instead was essential for the ensuing compensatory autophagy, female fertility, and organism viability. The zymogen pro-Dcp-1 was found to interact with Hsp83 and undergo proteasomal regulation in an Hsp83-dependent manner. Our work not only reveals unappreciated roles for Hsp83 in proteasomal activity and regulation of Dcp-1, but identifies an effector caspase as a key regulatory factor for sustaining adaptation to cell stress in vivo.

Multi-level examination of correlates of active transportation to school among youth living within 1 mile of their school

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Active transportation to school is a method by which youth can build physical activity into their daily routines. We examined correlates of active transportation to school at both individual- (characteristics of the individual and family) and area- (school and neighborhood) levels amongst youth living within 1 mile (1.6 km) of their school. Methods Using the 2009/10 Canadian Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) survey, we selected records of students (n = 3 997) from 161 schools that resided in an urban setting and lived within 1 mile from their school. Student records were compiled from: (1) individual-level HBSC student questionnaires; (2) area-level administrator (school) questionnaires; and (3) area-level geographic information system data sources. The outcome, active transportation to school, was determined via a questionnaire item describing the method of transportation that individual students normally use to get to school. Analyses focused on factors at multiple levels that potentially contribute to student decisions to engage in active transportation. Multi-level logistic regression analyses were employed. Results Approximately 18% of the variance in active transportation was accounted for at the area-level. Several individual and family characteristics were associated with engagement in active transportation to school including female gender (RR vs. males = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.80-0.91), having ≥2 cars in the household (RR vs. no cars = 0.87, 0.74-0.97), and family socioeconomic status (RR for ‘not well off’ vs. ‘very well off’ = 1.14, 1.01-1.26). Neighborhood characteristics most strongly related to active transportation were: the length of roads in the 1 km buffer (RR in quartile 4 vs. quartile 1 = 1.23, 1.00-1.42), the amount of litter in the neighborhood (RR for ‘major problem’ vs. ‘no problem’ = 1.47, 1.16-1.57), and relatively hot climates (RR in quartile 4 vs. quartile 1 = 1.33 CI

Dual-Task Performance: Influence of Frailty, Level of Physical Activity, and Cognition.

PubMed

Giusti Rossi, Paulo; Pires de Andrade, Larissa; Hotta Ansai, Juliana; Silva Farche, Ana Claudia; Carnaz, Leticia; Dalpubel, Daniela; Ferriolli, Eduardo; Assis Carvalho Vale, Francisco; de Medeiros Takahashi, Anielle Cristhine

2018-03-08

Cognition and level of physical activity have been associated with frailty syndrome. The development of tools that assess deficits related to physical and cognitive frailties simultaneously are of common interest. However, little is known about how much these aspects influence the performance of dual-task tests. Our aims were (a) to verify the influence of frailty syndrome and objectively measured physical activity and cognition on the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and Timed Up and Go associated with dual-task (TUG-DT) performances; and (b) to compare TUG and TUG-DT performances between older adults who develop frailty syndrome. Sixty-four community-dwelling older adults were divided into frail, prefrail, and nonfrail groups, according to frailty phenotype. Assessments included anamnesis, screening of frailty syndrome, cognitive assessment (Addenbrooke's cognitive examination), placement of a triaxial accelerometer to assess level of physical activity, and TUG and TUG-DT (TUG associated with a motor-cognitive task of calling a phone number) performances. After 7 days, the accelerometer was removed. A multiple linear regression was applied to identify which independent variables could explain performances in the TUG and TUG-DT. Subsequently, the analysis of covariance test, adjusted for age, cognition, and level of physical activity covariates, was used to compare test performances. There were no differences in cognition between groups. Significant differences in the level of physical activity were found in the frail group. Compared with the frail group, the nonfrail group required less time and fewer steps to complete the TUG. Regarding the TUG-DT, cognition and age influenced the time spent and number of steps, respectively; however, no differences were found between groups. Frail older adults presented worse performance in the TUG when compared with nonfrail older adults. The dual-task test does not differentiate older adults with frailty syndrome, regardless of

A Comparison of Physical Activity, Physical Fitness Levels, BMI and Blood Pressure of Adults with Intellectual Disability, Who Do and Do Not Take Part in Special Olympics Ireland Programmes: Results from the SOPHIE Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Denise; Belton, Sarahjane; Meegan, Sarah; Bowers, Kirsty; Corby, Deidre; Staines, Anthony; McVeigh, Treasa; McKeon, Michael; Hoey, Edel; Trépel, Dominic; Griffin, Peter; Sweeney, Mary Rose

2018-01-01

People with an intellectual disability are less physically active, live more sedentary lives, have lower fitness levels and are more likely to be overweight or obese than the general population. No evidence exists on the impact of participation in Special Olympics Ireland (SOI) on physical activity and physical fitness levels. Adults with…

Multi-level Discourse Analysis in a Physics Teaching Methods Course from the Psychological Perspective of Activity Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vieira, Rodrigo Drumond; Kelly, Gregory J.

2014-11-01

In this paper, we present and apply a multi-level method for discourse analysis in science classrooms. This method is based on the structure of human activity (activity, actions, and operations) and it was applied to study a pre-service physics teacher methods course. We argue that such an approach, based on a cultural psychological perspective, affords opportunities for analysts to perform a theoretically based detailed analysis of discourse events. Along with the presentation of analysis, we show and discuss how the articulation of different levels offers interpretative criteria for analyzing instructional conversations. We synthesize the results into a model for a teacher's practice and discuss the implications and possibilities of this approach for the field of discourse analysis in science classrooms. Finally, we reflect on how the development of teachers' understanding of their activity structures can contribute to forms of progressive discourse of science education.

Lower vitamin D levels are associated with higher systemic lupus erythematosus activity, but not predictive of disease flare-up

PubMed Central

Schoindre, Yoland; Jallouli, Moez; Tanguy, Marie-Laure; Ghillani, Pascale; Galicier, Lionel; Aumaître, Olivier; Francès, Camille; Le Guern, Véronique; Lioté, Frédéric; Smail, Amar; Limal, Nicolas; Perard, Laurent; Desmurs-Clavel, Hélène; Thi Huong, Du Le; Asli, Bouchra; Kahn, Jean-Emmanuel; Sailler, Laurent; Ackermann, Félix; Papo, Thomas; Sacré, Karim; Fain, Olivier; Stirnemann, Jérôme; Cacoub, Patrice; Leroux, Gaëlle; Cohen-Bittan, Judith; Hulot, Jean-Sébastien; Lechat, Philippe; Musset, Lucile; Piette, Jean-Charles; Amoura, Zahir; Souberbielle, Jean-Claude; Costedoat-Chalumeau, Nathalie

2014-01-01

Objectives Growing evidence suggests that vitamin D plays a key role in the pathogenesis and progression of autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Recent studies have found an association between lower serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and higher SLE activity. We studied the relationship between 25(OH)D levels and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) score, and we assessed for the first time the role of vitamin D in predicting SLE flare-ups. Methods Serum 25(OH)D levels were measured in 170 patients with SLE who were prospectively followed up for 6 months (Plaquenil LUpus Systemic study, ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT00413361). Results The mean SLEDAI score was 2.03±2.43 and 12.3% patients had active disease (SLEDAI ≥6). The mean 25(OH)D level was 20.6±9.8 ng/mL. Deficiency (25(OH)D <10 ng/mL) was observed in 27 (15.9%), insufficiency (10≤25(OH)D<30) in 112 (65.9%) and optimal vitamin D status (25(OH)D≥30) in 31 (18.2%) patients. In multivariate analysis, female gender (p=0.018), absence of defined antiphospholipid syndrome (p=0.002) and higher creatinine clearance (p=0.004) were predictive of lower 25(OH)D levels. In multivariate analysis, lower 25(OH)D levels were associated with high SLE activity (p=0.02). Relapse-free survival rate was not statistically different according to the vitamin D status during the 6-month follow-up (p=0.22). Conclusions We found a low vitamin D status in the majority of patients with SLE, and a modest association between lower 25(OH)D levels and high disease activity. There was no association between baseline 25(OH)D levels and relapse-free survival rate. PMID:25379192

Impact of varying physical activity levels on airway sensitivity and bronchodilation in healthy humans.

PubMed

Smith, Joshua R; Kurti, Stephanie P; Johnson, Ariel M; Kolmer, Sarah A; Harms, Craig

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if the amount of physical activity influences airway sensitivity and bronchodilation in healthy subjects across a range of physical activity levels. Thirty healthy subjects (age, 21.9 ± 2.6 years; 13 men/17 women) with normal pulmonary function reported to the laboratory on 2 separate occasions where they were randomized to breathe either hypertonic saline (HS) (nebulized hypertonic saline (25%) for 20 min) or HS followed by 5 deep inspirations (DIs), which has been reported to bronchodilate the airways. Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) were performed prior to both conditions and following the HS breathing or 5 DIs. Moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) level was measured via accelerometer worn for 7 days. Following the HS breathing, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) significantly decreased from baseline by -11.8% ± 8.4% and -9.3% ± 6.7%, respectively. A 2-segment linear model determined significant relationships between MVPA and percent change in FEV1 (r = 0.50) and FVC (r = 0.55). MVPA above ∼497 and ∼500 min/week for FEV1 and FVC, respectively, resulted in minor additional improvements (p > 0.05) in PFTs following the HS breathing. Following the DIs, FEV1 and FVC decreased (p < 0.05) by -7.3% ± 8.6% and -5.7% ± 5.7%, respectively, from baseline, but were not related (p > 0.05) to MVPA. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that higher MVPA levels attenuated airway sensitivity but not bronchodilation in healthy subjects.

Associations between Socio-Motivational Factors, Physical Education Activity Levels and Physical Activity Behavior among Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ning, Weihong; Gao, Zan; Lodewyk, Ken

2012-01-01

This study examined the relationships between established socio-motivational factors and children's physical activity levels daily and during physical education classes. A total of 307 middle school students (149 boys, 158 girls) from a suburban public school in the Southern United States participated in this study. Participants completed…

Elevated microRNA-34a in obesity reduces NAD+ levels and SIRT1 activity by directly targeting NAMPT.

PubMed

Choi, Sung-E; Fu, Ting; Seok, Sunmi; Kim, Dong-Hyun; Yu, Eunkyung; Lee, Kwan-Woo; Kang, Yup; Li, Xiaoling; Kemper, Byron; Kemper, Jongsook Kim

2013-12-01

SIRT1 is an NAD(+)-dependent deacetylase that is implicated in prevention of many age-related diseases including metabolic disorders. As SIRT1 deacetylase activity is dependent on NAD(+) levels and the development of compounds that directly activate SIRT1 has been controversial, indirectly activating SIRT1 through enhancing NAD(+) bioavailability has received increasing attention. NAD(+) levels are reduced in obesity and the aged, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We recently showed that hepatic microRNA-34a (miR-34a), which is elevated in obesity, directly targets and decreases SIRT1 expression. Here, we further show that miR-34a reduces NAD(+) levels and SIRT1 activity by targeting NAMPT, the rate-limiting enzyme for NAD(+) biosynthesis. A functional binding site for miR-34a is present in the 3' UTR of NAMPT mRNA. Hepatic overexpression of miR-34a reduced NAMPT/NAD(+) levels, increased acetylation of the SIRT1 target transcriptional regulators, PGC-1α, SREBP-1c, FXR, and NF-κB, and resulted in obesity-mimetic outcomes. The decreased NAMPT/NAD(+) levels were independent of miR-34a effects on SIRT1 levels as they were also observed in SIRT1 liver-specific knockout mice. Further, the miR-34a-mediated decreases were reversed by treatment with the NAD(+) intermediate, nicotinamide mononucleotide. Conversely, antagonism of miR-34a in diet-induced obese mice restored NAMPT/NAD(+) levels and alleviated steatosis, inflammation, and glucose intolerance. Anti-miR-34a-mediated increases in NAD(+) levels were attenuated when NAMPT was downregulated. Our findings reveal a novel function of miR-34a in reducing both SIRT1 expression and activity in obesity. The miR-34a/NAMPT axis presents a potential target for treating obesity- and aging-related diseases involving SIRT1 dysfunction like steatosis and type 2 diabetes. © 2013 the Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Levels and patterns of objectively-measured physical activity volume and intensity distribution in UK adolescents: the ROOTS study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Few studies have quantified levels of habitual physical activity across the entire intensity range. We aimed to describe variability in total and intensity-specific physical activity levels in UK adolescents across gender, socio-demographic, temporal and body composition strata. Methods Physical activity energy expenditure and minutes per day (min/d) spent sedentary and in light, moderate, and vigorous intensity physical activity were assessed in 825 adolescents from the ROOTS study (43.5% boys; mean age 15.0 ± 0.30 years), by 4 days of individually calibrated combined heart rate and movement sensing. Measurement days were classified as weekday or weekend and according to the three school terms: summer (April-July), autumn (September-December), and spring (January-March). Gender and age were self-reported and area-level SES determined by postcode data. Body composition was measured by anthropometry and bio-electrical impedance. Variability in physical activity and sedentary time was analysed by linear multilevel modelling, and logistic multilevel regression was used to determine factors associated with physical inactivity (<60 min moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity/d). Results During awake hours (15.8 ± 0.9 hrs/d), adolescents primarily engaged in light intensity physical activity (517 min/d) and sedentary time (364 min/d). Boys were consistently more physically active and less sedentary than girls, but gender differences were smaller at weekends, as activity levels in boys dropped more markedly when transitioning from weekday to weekend. Boys were more sedentary on both weekend days compared to during the week, whereas girls were more sedentary on Sunday but less sedentary on Saturday. In both genders light intensity physical activity was lower in spring, while moderate physical activity was lower in autumn and spring terms, compared to the summer term; sedentary time was also higher in spring than summer term. Adolescents

The Impact of Different Degrees of Feedback on Physical Activity Levels: A 4-Week Intervention Study

PubMed Central

Van Hoye, Karen; Boen, Filip; Lefevre, Johan

2015-01-01

Assessing levels of physical activity (PA) and providing feedback about these levels might have an effect on participant’s PA behavior. This study discusses the effect of different levels of feedback—from minimal to use of a feedback display and coach—on PA over a 4-week intervention period. PA was measured at baseline, during and immediately after the intervention. Participants (n = 227) were randomly assigned to a Minimal Intervention Group (MIG-no feedback), Pedometer Group (PG-feedback on steps taken), Display Group (DG-feedback on steps, minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity and energy expenditure) or Coaching Group (CoachG-same as DG with need-supportive coaching). Two-way ANCOVA showed no significant Group × Time interaction effect for the different PA variables between the MIG and PG. Also no differences emerged between PG and DG. As hypothesized, CoachG had higher PA values throughout the intervention compared with DG. Self-monitoring using a pedometer resulted in more steps compared with a no-feedback condition at the start of the intervention. However, adding individualized coaching seems necessary to increase the PA level until the end of the intervention. PMID:26067990

Organized Sport Participation and Physical Activity Levels among Adolescents with Functional Limitations

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Sufficient and regular physical activity is considered a protective factor, reducing the onset of secondary disability conditions in adolescents with chronic diseases and functional limitations. The aim of this study was to explore whether participation in organized sport may be associated to higher levels of physical activity in adolescents with functional limitations, based on a national representative sample. Data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study collected in Finland from two data collection rounds (2002 and 2010) were conducted and pooled from adolescents aged between 13 and 15 years old with functional limitations (n = 1041). Differences in self-reported physical activity over the past week and participation in organized sport activity were analysed for each function. Overall, four in ten (n = 413) participated in organized sport and were significantly (p < 0.001) more physically active (mean = 4.92 days, SD = 1.81) than their non-participating (mean = 3.29, SD = 1.86) peers with functional limitations. Despite low population prevalence, adolescents with epilepsy or visual impairments were the least active if they were not participating in organized sport, yet were the most active if they were involved in organized sport. Participating in organized sport appears to be an important factor promoting resources for maintaining recommended levels of physical activity in Finnish adolescents with functional limitations. PMID:29910441

Does feedback on daily activity level from a Smart watch during inpatient stroke rehabilitation increase physical activity levels? Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Dong, Yun; Steins, Dax; Sun, Shanbin; Li, Fei; Amor, James D; James, Christopher J; Xia, Zhidao; Dawes, Helen; Izadi, Hooshang; Cao, Yi; Wade, Derick T

2018-03-09

Practicing activities improves recovery after stroke, but many people in hospital do little activity. Feedback on activity using an accelerometer is a potential method to increase activity in hospital inpatients. This study's goal is to investigate the effect of feedback, enabled by a Smart watch, on daily physical activity levels during inpatient stroke rehabilitation and the short-term effects on simple functional activities, primarily mobility. A randomized controlled trial will be undertaken within the stroke rehabilitation wards of the Second Affiliated hospital of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China. The study participants will be stroke survivors who meet inclusion criteria for the study, primarily: able to participate, no more than 4 months after stroke and walking independently before stroke. Participants will all receive standard local rehabilitation and will be randomly assigned either to receive regular feedback about activity levels, relative to a daily goal tailored by the smart watch over five time periods throughout a working day, or to no feedback, but still wearing the Smart watch. The intervention will last up to 3 weeks, ending sooner if discharged. The data to be collected in all participants include measures of daily activity (Smart watch measure); mobility (Rivermead Mobility Index and 10-metre walking time); independence in personal care (Barthel Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Index); overall activities (the World Health Organization (WHO) Disability Assessment Scale, 12-item version); and quality of life (the Euro-Qol 5L5D). Data will be collected by assessors blinded to allocation of the intervention at baseline, 3 weeks or at discharge (whichever is the sooner); and a reduced data set will be collected at 12 weeks by telephone interview. The primary outcome will be change in daily accelerometer activity scores. Secondary outcomes are compliance and adherence to wearing the watch, and changes in mobility

Anthropometry and physical activity level in the prediction of metabolic syndrome in children.

PubMed

Andaki, Alynne Christian Ribeiro; Tinôco, Adelson Luiz Araújo; Mendes, Edmar Lacerda; Andaki Júnior, Roberto; Hills, Andrew P; Amorim, Paulo Roberto S

2014-10-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of anthropometric measures and physical activity level in the prediction of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in children. Cross-sectional study with children from public and private schools. Children underwent an anthropometric assessment, blood pressure measurement and biochemical evaluation of serum for determination of TAG, HDL-cholesterol and glucose. Physical activity level was calculated and number of steps per day obtained using a pedometer for seven consecutive days. Viçosa, south-eastern Brazil. Boys and girls (n 187), mean age 9·90 (SD 0·7) years. Conicity index, sum of four skinfolds, physical activity level and number of steps per day were accurate in predicting MetS in boys. Anthropometric indicators were accurate in predicting MetS for girls, specifically BMI, waist circumference measured at the narrowest point and at the level of the umbilicus, four skinfold thickness measures evaluated separately, the sum of subscapular and triceps skinfold thickness, the sum of four skinfolds and body fat percentage. The sum of four skinfolds was the most accurate method in predicting MetS in both genders.

Irisin Levels are Not Affected by Physical Activity in Patients with Anorexia Nervosa

PubMed Central

Hofmann, Tobias; Elbelt, Ulf; Ahnis, Anne; Kobelt, Peter; Rose, Matthias; Stengel, Andreas

2014-01-01

Irisin was recently identified as muscle-derived hormone that increases energy expenditure. Studies in normal weight and obese subjects reported an increased irisin expression following physical activity, although inconsistent results were observed. Increased physical activity in a subgroup of patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) complicates the course of the disease. Since irisin could account for differences in clinical outcomes, we investigated irisin levels in anorexic patients with high and moderate physical activity to evaluate whether irisin differs with increasing physical activity. Hospitalized female anorexic patients (n = 39) were included. Plasma irisin measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and locomotor activity were assessed at the same time. Patients were separated into two groups (n = 19/group; median excluded): moderate and high activity (6331 ± 423 vs. 13743 ± 1047 steps/day, p < 0.001). The groups did not differ in body mass index (14.2 ± 0.4 vs. 15.0 ± 0.4 kg/m2), irisin levels (558.2 ± 26.1 vs. 524.9 ± 25.2 ng/ml), and body weight-adjusted resting energy expenditure (17.6 ± 0.3 vs. 18.0 ± 0.3 kcal/kg/day, p > 0.05), whereas body weight-adjusted total energy expenditure (46.0 ± 1.4 vs. 41.1 ± 1.1 kcal/kg/day), metabolic equivalents (METs, 1.9 ± 0.1 vs. 1.7 ± 0.1 METs/day), body weight-adjusted exercise activity thermogenesis (1.8 ± 0.5 vs. 0.6 ± 0.3 kcal/kg/day), duration of exercise (18.6 ± 4.7 vs. 6.2 ± 3.1 min/day), and body weight-adjusted non-exercise activity thermogenesis (21.6 ± 1.0 vs. 18.8 ± 0.8 kcal/kg/day) were higher in the high activity compared to the moderate activity group (p < 0.05). No correlations were observed between irisin and activity parameters in the whole sample (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the current data do not support the concept of irisin being induced by exercise, at least not under

Optics and Light Activities for Teachers of all Grade Levels from Easily Obtainable Supplies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindgren, Richard; Hendricks, Curtis; Lucatorto, Lynn; McNeilus, Thomas; Thornton, Stephen

2010-02-01

Several hands-on activities in light and optics covering selected topics will be discussed in the context of home labs and how such activities can be incorporated into a distance-learning or online web-based course utilizing the latest communication technologies and the Internet. The presentation will focus on activities that can be constructed from easy to obtain supplies as well as a commercially available kit that we are having made available. Activities for teachers at the elementary level will focus on understanding light rays, shadows, and reflection from plane surfaces; at the middle school level will focus on curved mirrors and lenses, dispersion, and drawing ray diagrams; at the high school level will focus on Snell's law, the lens equation, wave interference, polarization, Young's experiment, and diffraction. A distance-learning, web-based course based on these home labs will be described. )

Sex Hormone Effects on Physical Activity Levels: Why Doesn’t Jane Run as Much as Dick?