Sample records for adaptation physiology chair

  1. Physiological Motion Axis for the Seat of a Dynamic Office Chair.

    PubMed

    Kuster, Roman Peter; Bauer, Christoph Markus; Oetiker, Sarah; Kool, Jan

    2016-09-01

    The aim of this study was to determine and verify the optimal location of the motion axis (MA) for the seat of a dynamic office chair. A dynamic seat that supports pelvic motion may improve physical well-being and decrease the risk of sitting-associated disorders. However, office work requires an undisturbed view on the work task, which means a stable position of the upper trunk and head. Current dynamic office chairs do not fulfill this need. Consequently, a dynamic seat was adapted to the physiological kinematics of the human spine. Three-dimensional motion tracking in free sitting helped determine the physiological MA of the spine in the frontal plane. Three dynamic seats with physiological, lower, and higher MA were compared in stable upper body posture (thorax inclination) and seat support of pelvic motion (dynamic fitting accuracy). Spinal kinematics during sitting and walking were compared. The physiological MA was at the level of the 11th thoracic vertebra, causing minimal thorax inclination and high dynamic fitting accuracy. Spinal motion in active sitting and walking was similar. The physiological MA of the seat allows considerable lateral flexion of the spine similar to walking with a stable upper body posture and a high seat support of pelvic motion. The physiological MA enables lateral flexion of the spine, similar to walking, without affecting stable upper body posture, thus allowing active sitting while focusing on work. © 2016, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

  2. An e-caring chair for physiological signal measurement and recording.

    PubMed

    Chang, Hsien-Tsung; Chung, Chyan-Goei; Chen, Ming-Wei

    2013-02-01

    There is an increasing awareness among the populace of the need for regular health check-up to detect diseases in their early stages and thereby administer treatments in a timely fashion. However, commercially available physiological signal monitoring devices, which may offer clues on the onset of diseases, are time-consuming, far from user friendly and limited in their applications. We design an e-caring chair that combines six modular physiological signal measurement instruments into a single unit, enabling users to simultaneously measure the blood pressure, body temperature, heart rate, height, weight and body fat percentage, and display the results and simple diagnoses in real time. The e-caring chair further allows for easy integration of additional physiological signal measuring devices, speedy measurements and long term monitoring of any trends that may emerge, making it easier for users to be alerted to physiological changes in the body without the need to enlist assistance from medical personnel. In this paper, we describe how this e-caring chair can be placed in several different environments for different purposes. Copyright © 2011 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Behavioral and physiological adaptation to repeated chair restraint in rhesus macaques.

    PubMed

    Ruys, J D; Mendoza, S P; Capitanio, J P; Mason, W A

    2004-09-15

    Physical restraint is a commonly used procedure when working closely with nonhuman primates. Nonhuman primates show rapid behavioral changes when learning the restraint procedure, and these changes have been taken to reflect behavioral and physiological habituation to the procedure. This study examined the behavioral and adrenocortical responses to repeated physical restraint in a large sample of adult male rhesus monkeys. Subjects showed a decline in behavioral agitation and cortisol concentrations across seven consecutive days of restraint. The changes in adrenocortical responsiveness were also coincident with an increased sensitivity to dexamethasone and a change in early morning basal cortisol secretion. The subjects were restrained for a single session 6 months later, and while the reduction in behavioral agitation was still present, the majority of changes in adrenocortical responsiveness were no longer present. These data show that behavior is not necessarily an indicator of underlying physiological processes and that the reduction of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) activity with repeated restraint is due to physiological adaptation to high glucocorticoid concentrations and not to psychological habituation to the restraint procedures.

  4. Folding chair

    DOEpatents

    Cornell, Howell N.

    1985-08-20

    A foldable chair of the lawn chair type has ground-engaging front and rear legs, attached to and carrying a back frame and seat frame, the back frame and seat frame being pivotally attached to a spreader rod which extends beyond the back and seat frames to bear against one of the leg members when the chair is unfolded. A contact pad mounted on the extending portion of the spreader rod is formed as an externally-contoured bushing fit over the spreader rod and adapted to engage the leg member to restrict side-to-side movement of the spreader rod, with respect to the leg member, when the chair is unfolded.

  5. The Sit & Stand chair. A revolutionary advance in adaptive seating systems.

    PubMed

    Galumbeck, Michael H; Buschbacher, Ralph M; Wilder, Robert P; Winters, Kathryne L; Hudson, Mary Anne; Edlich, Richard F

    2004-01-01

    A major factor governing independence for the elderly and persons with disabilities is the ability to stand from a chair. Factors such as pain, reduced joint range of motion, stiffness, and muscle weakness frequently limit the ability to stand. Sit-to-stand position is even further reduced in patients whose hands and shoulders are afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis. When achieving a sit-to-stand position in the elderly and persons with disabilities, there is considerable risk of the individual falling and sustaining bone fracture. The purposes of this scientific report are to achieve the following goals: (1) to provide a narrative discussion of the senior author's contributions to furniture manufacturing as well as his successful patent application for the SIT & STAND chair, (2) to describe the steps involved in the development of the SIT & STAND prototype, and (3) to examine the performance of the SIT & STAND chair in assisting the elderly or persons with disabilities in achieving a sit-to-stand position. The invention of the SIT & STAND chair by the senior author, Michael Galumbeck, was a culmination of his lifelong interest in adaptive seating systems. His electrically operated chair has the unique ability to assist the occupant to achieve safely a sit-to-stand position. The rear portion of his chair remains in a fixed position to support the buttocks of the user during mechanical lift. The front portion of the seat folds down incrementally as the chair rises to allow the feet of the user to be positioned in a more posterior position firmly on the floor. Using its actuator, the height that the chair rises will vary with the length of the legs of the occupant. Using the drawing program Solid Works (Solid Works, Concord, Massachusetts), drawings of the chair were made. To visualize the operation and performance of the chair, separate drawings were made in the lateral position. The prototype of the SIT & STAND chair was manufactured with an electric actuator that

  6. 4 CFR 27.2 - The Chair, Vice Chair.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 4 Accounts 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false The Chair, Vice Chair. 27.2 Section 27.2 Accounts GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE GENERAL PROCEDURES GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE PERSONNEL APPEALS BOARD; ORGANIZATION § 27.2 The Chair, Vice Chair. The members of the Board shall select from among its membership a...

  7. Pediatric dental chair vs. traditional dental chair: a pediatric dentist's poll.

    PubMed

    Barjatya, Khushboo; Vatsal, Ankur; Kambalimath, Halaswamy V; Kulkarni, Vinay Kumar; Reddy, Naveen Banda

    2015-01-01

    Proper positioning of the child patient, can not only have positive ramifications for the operator's posture, comfort, and career longevity - it can also lead to better treatment and increased productivity. The aim of the survey questionnaire was to assess the utilization, need, and attitude concerning dental chairs among pediatric dentist while working on and managing the child patient. The questions were structured using adobe forms central online software, regarding the user-friendliness of pediatric dental chair vs. traditional adult dental chair available in the market. Our result shows that out of 337 respondents, 79% worked on pediatric dental chair, whereas 21% had no experience of it. Of these 79% pediatric dentist, 48% preferred pediatric dental chair. But pediatric dental problem still has certain disadvantages like higher cost, leg space problem, lower availability, etc. During the research it was found that ergonomics and usability issues were the main problems. Thus, pediatric dental chair is not so popular in the current scenario. This study allowed for general ideas for the improvement of dental chairs and thus improved dental chair would fill the gap in the current scenario.

  8. Stress inoculation training supported by physiology-driven adaptive virtual reality stimulation.

    PubMed

    Popović, Sinisa; Horvat, Marko; Kukolja, Davor; Dropuljić, Branimir; Cosić, Kresimir

    2009-01-01

    Significant proportion of psychological problems related to combat stress in recent large peacekeeping operations underscores importance of effective methods for strengthening the stress resistance of military personnel. Adaptive control of virtual reality (VR) stimulation, based on estimation of the subject's emotional state from physiological signals, may enhance existing stress inoculation training (SIT). Physiology-driven adaptive VR stimulation can tailor the progress of stressful stimuli delivery to the physiological characteristics of each individual, which is indicated for improvement in stress resistance. Therefore, following an overview of SIT and its applications in the military setting, generic concept of physiology-driven adaptive VR stimulation is presented in the paper. Toward the end of the paper, closed-loop adaptive control strategy applicable to SIT is outlined.

  9. Complexity and network dynamics in physiological adaptation: an integrated view.

    PubMed

    Baffy, György; Loscalzo, Joseph

    2014-05-28

    Living organisms constantly interact with their surroundings and sustain internal stability against perturbations. This dynamic process follows three fundamental strategies (restore, explore, and abandon) articulated in historical concepts of physiological adaptation such as homeostasis, allostasis, and the general adaptation syndrome. These strategies correspond to elementary forms of behavior (ordered, chaotic, and static) in complex adaptive systems and invite a network-based analysis of the operational characteristics, allowing us to propose an integrated framework of physiological adaptation from a complex network perspective. Applicability of this concept is illustrated by analyzing molecular and cellular mechanisms of adaptation in response to the pervasive challenge of obesity, a chronic condition resulting from sustained nutrient excess that prompts chaotic exploration for system stability associated with tradeoffs and a risk of adverse outcomes such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Deconstruction of this complexity holds the promise of gaining novel insights into physiological adaptation in health and disease. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  10. Coping with thermal challenges: physiological adaptations to environmental temperatures.

    PubMed

    Tattersall, Glenn J; Sinclair, Brent J; Withers, Philip C; Fields, Peter A; Seebacher, Frank; Cooper, Christine E; Maloney, Shane K

    2012-07-01

    Temperature profoundly influences physiological responses in animals, primarily due to the effects on biochemical reaction rates. Since physiological responses are often exemplified by their rate dependency (e.g., rate of blood flow, rate of metabolism, rate of heat production, and rate of ion pumping), the study of temperature adaptations has a long history in comparative and evolutionary physiology. Animals may either defend a fairly constant temperature by recruiting biochemical mechanisms of heat production and utilizing physiological responses geared toward modifying heat loss and heat gain from the environment, or utilize biochemical modifications to allow for physiological adjustments to temperature. Biochemical adaptations to temperature involve alterations in protein structure that compromise the effects of increased temperatures on improving catalytic enzyme function with the detrimental influences of higher temperature on protein stability. Temperature has acted to shape the responses of animal proteins in manners that generally preserve turnover rates at animals' normal, or optimal, body temperatures. Physiological responses to cold and warmth differ depending on whether animals maintain elevated body temperatures (endothermic) or exhibit minimal internal heat production (ectothermic). In both cases, however, these mechanisms involve regulated neural and hormonal over heat flow to the body or heat flow within the body. Examples of biochemical responses to temperature in endotherms involve metabolic uncoupling mechanisms that decrease metabolic efficiency with the outcome of producing heat, whereas ectothermic adaptations to temperature are best exemplified by the numerous mechanisms that allow for the tolerance or avoidance of ice crystal formation at temperatures below 0°C. 2012 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 2:2037-2061, 2012.

  11. Physiological adaptation to recurrent social stress of extraversion.

    PubMed

    Lu, Wei; Wang, Zhenhong

    2017-02-01

    The present studies examined the influence of extraversion on physiological reactivity, recovery, and physiological habituation-sensitization to repeated social stressors. In Study 1, subjective and physiological data were collected from 97 college students who were categorized as high (n = 51) and low (n = 46) on extraversion (NEO-FFI) across five laboratory stages: baseline, stress 1, poststress 1, stress 2, and poststress 2. Results indicated high extraversion (HE) participants exhibited relative lesser heart rate (HR) reactivity and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) withdrawals to, and more complete HR and RSA recovery after the first social stress, and also exhibited relative lesser HR reactivity to the second social stress. When repeatedly exposed to a social stressor, HE participants showed pronounced systolic blood pressure (SBP) adaptation, low extraversion (LE) participants displayed diastolic blood pressure (DBP) sensitization. In Study 2, data were collected from another 78 participants (HE: n = 40, LE: n = 38) across the same laboratory stages with speech performance videotaped. After controlling for the speech styles, Study 2 found the same HR response and SBP/DBP adaptation pattern across extraversion groups to social stress as Study 1 but not RSA reactivity. These findings suggest extraverts exhibit more adaptive physiological reactivity to recurrent social stressors, which thus might benefit their health. © 2016 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

  12. Publication Productivity of Orthopaedic Surgery Chairs.

    PubMed

    Zelle, Boris A; Weathers, Michael A; Fajardo, Roberto J; Haghshenas, Varan; Bhandari, Mohit

    2017-06-21

    As academic leaders, orthopaedic chairs represent role models for scholarly activities. Despite the importance of journal publications as a measure of scholarly activity, data on the publication productivity of orthopaedic chairs remain limited. The goals of this study were to record the publication productivity of orthopaedic chairs and evaluate the extent to which they maintained their scholarly activity while serving as chairs. The chairs of all orthopaedic residency programs in the United States were identified through the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) web site, and were confirmed by information found on the web site of each orthopaedic program that was included in the study. University and non-university chairs were defined based on affiliation of the program with a medical school. The publication records of the program chairs were retrieved through the Scopus database. During the 7 years prior to their appointment to chair, the mean number of total publications was significantly higher for university chairs (n = 58.6, range 0 to 217) than for non-university chairs (n = 29.1, range 0 to 13) (p = 0.003). The mean number of publications per year during the 7 years leading up to the chair position was 4.66 (range, 0 to 25) for the university chairs, and 2.29 (range, 0 to 10.9) for the non-university group (p = 0.02). While serving as chair, the mean number of publications per year significantly decreased among the university chairs to 3.75 (range, 0 to 32.8; p = 0.015), whereas no significant change was observed among non-university chairs. The mean percentage of first authorships was not significantly different between university and non-university chairs. Both groups showed significant declines in first authorships while serving as chair. At the time of becoming chair, the average university chair had published approximately 60 manuscripts, whereas the average non-university chair had published approximately 30 manuscripts. While

  13. Effect of a care plan based on Roy adaptation model biological dimension on stroke patients' physiologic adaptation level.

    PubMed

    Alimohammadi, Nasrollah; Maleki, Bibi; Shahriari, Mohsen; Chitsaz, Ahmad

    2015-01-01

    Stroke is a stressful event with several functional, physical, psychological, social, and economic problems that affect individuals' different living balances. With coping strategies, patients try to control these problems and return to their natural life. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of a care plan based on Roy adaptation model biological dimension on stroke patients' physiologic adaptation level. This study is a clinical trial in which 50 patients, affected by brain stroke and being admitted in the neurology ward of Kashani and Alzahra hospitals, were randomly assigned to control and study groups in Isfahan in 2013. Roy adaptation model care plan was administered in biological dimension in the form of four sessions and phone call follow-ups for 1 month. The forms related to Roy adaptation model were completed before and after intervention in the two groups. Chi-square test and t-test were used to analyze the data through SPSS 18. There was a significant difference in mean score of adaptation in physiological dimension in the study group after intervention (P < 0.001) compared to before intervention. Comparison of the mean scores of changes of adaptation in the patients affected by brain stroke in the study and control groups showed a significant increase in physiological dimension in the study group by 47.30 after intervention (P < 0.001). The results of study showed that Roy adaptation model biological dimension care plan can result in an increase in adaptation in patients with stroke in physiological dimension. Nurses can use this model for increasing patients' adaptation.

  14. Resistance Training: Physiological Responses and Adaptations (Part 3 of 4).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fleck, Steven J.; Kraemer, William J.

    1988-01-01

    The physiological responses and adaptations which occur as a result of resistance training, such as cardiovascular responses, serum lipid count, body composition, and neural adaptations are discussed. Changes in the endocrine system are also described. (JL)

  15. Mitochondrial adaptations to physiological vs. pathological cardiac hypertrophy

    PubMed Central

    Abel, E. Dale; Doenst, Torsten

    2011-01-01

    Cardiac hypertrophy is a stereotypic response of the heart to increased workload. The nature of the workload increase may vary depending on the stimulus (repetitive, chronic, pressure, or volume overload). If the heart fully adapts to the new loading condition, the hypertrophic response is considered physiological. If the hypertrophic response is associated with the ultimate development of contractile dysfunction and heart failure, the response is considered pathological. Although divergent signalling mechanisms may lead to these distinct patterns of hypertrophy, there is some overlap. Given the close relationship between workload and energy demand, any form of cardiac hypertrophy will impact the energy generation by mitochondria, which are the key organelles for cellular ATP production. Significant changes in the expression of nuclear and mitochondrially encoded transcripts that impact mitochondrial function as well as altered mitochondrial proteome composition and mitochondrial energetics have been described in various forms of cardiac hypertrophy. Here, we review mitochondrial alterations in pathological and physiological hypertrophy. We suggest that mitochondrial adaptations to pathological and physiological hypertrophy are distinct, and we shall review potential mechanisms that might account for these differences. PMID:21257612

  16. The Weighing Chair of Sanctorius Sanctorius: A Replica.

    PubMed

    Hollerbach, Teresa

    2018-05-14

    In 1614, the physician Sanctorius Sanctorius (1561-1636) published his most famous work entitled Ars […] de statica medicina (On static medicine). This is a work composed of aphorisms that present the practical results of a series of weighing procedures, rather than theoretical observations. De statica medicina is the result of a large number of test series that Sanctorius carried out over many years with the weighing chair he constructed himself in order to quantify the so-called perspiratio insensibilis, an insensible perspiration of the human body. Through his weighing experiments, Sanctorius introduced the idea of quantitative research into physiology. Although historical accounts ascribe an important role to Sanctorius as the founder of a new medical science, up until now the design of his weighing chair and the method of measurement have not been closely analysed. The aim of this paper is to close this gap. Through a collaboration between the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science and the Technical University of Berlin (Institute of Vocational Education and Work Studies), Sanctorius's weighing chair was reconstructed and experiments carried out with it. This opened new perspectives on Sanctorius's work and led to a reconsideration of the function and purpose of his weighing chair. With his static medicine, Sanctorius repurposed an old instrument. The replication of the weighing chair and the repetition of the experiments demonstrate that this novel application of scales posed some challenges for the mechanical design of the instrument. We recognized that the instrument fulfilled different functions that might in turn have affected its design, precision, and the measuring method applied. Although in the end we could not clarify how Sanctorius actually conducted his measurements, we were nevertheless able to develop an understanding of Sanctorius's mechanical and practical knowledge that would not have been possible for us to develop solely on

  17. ARG1 Functions in the Physiological Adaptation of Undifferentiated Plant Cells to Spaceflight.

    PubMed

    Zupanska, Agata K; Schultz, Eric R; Yao, JiQiang; Sng, Natasha J; Zhou, Mingqi; Callaham, Jordan B; Ferl, Robert J; Paul, Anna-Lisa

    2017-11-01

    Scientific access to spaceflight and especially the International Space Station has revealed that physiological adaptation to spaceflight is accompanied or enabled by changes in gene expression that significantly alter the transcriptome of cells in spaceflight. A wide range of experiments have shown that plant physiological adaptation to spaceflight involves gene expression changes that alter cell wall and other metabolisms. However, while transcriptome profiling aptly illuminates changes in gene expression that accompany spaceflight adaptation, mutation analysis is required to illuminate key elements required for that adaptation. Here we report how transcriptome profiling was used to gain insight into the spaceflight adaptation role of Altered response to gravity 1 (Arg1), a gene known to affect gravity responses in plants on Earth. The study compared expression profiles of cultured lines of Arabidopsis thaliana derived from wild-type (WT) cultivar Col-0 to profiles from a knock-out line deficient in the gene encoding ARG1 (ARG1 KO), both on the ground and in space. The cell lines were launched on SpaceX CRS-2 as part of the Cellular Expression Logic (CEL) experiment of the BRIC-17 spaceflight mission. The cultured cell lines were grown within 60 mm Petri plates in Petri Dish Fixation Units (PDFUs) that were housed within the Biological Research In Canisters (BRIC) hardware. Spaceflight samples were fixed on orbit. Differentially expressed genes were identified between the two environments (spaceflight and comparable ground controls) and the two genotypes (WT and ARG1 KO). Each genotype engaged unique genes during physiological adaptation to the spaceflight environment, with little overlap. Most of the genes altered in expression in spaceflight in WT cells were found to be Arg1-dependent, suggesting a major role for that gene in the physiological adaptation of undifferentiated cells to spaceflight. Key Words: ARG1-Spaceflight-Gene expression-Physiological

  18. Physiology-driven adaptive virtual reality stimulation for prevention and treatment of stress related disorders.

    PubMed

    Cosić, Kresimir; Popović, Sinisa; Kukolja, Davor; Horvat, Marko; Dropuljić, Branimir

    2010-02-01

    The significant proportion of severe psychological problems related to intensive stress in recent large peacekeeping operations underscores the importance of effective methods for strengthening the prevention and treatment of stress-related disorders. Adaptive control of virtual reality (VR) stimulation presented in this work, based on estimation of the person's emotional state from physiological signals, may enhance existing stress inoculation training (SIT). Physiology-driven adaptive VR stimulation can tailor the progress of stressful stimuli delivery to the physiological characteristics of each individual, which is indicated for improvement in stress resistance. Following an overview of physiology-driven adaptive VR stimulation, its major functional subsystems are described in more detail. A specific algorithm of stimuli delivery applicable to SIT is outlined.

  19. Axiology, the Subject and the Chair

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Melville, Wayne; Campbell, Todd; Jones, Doug

    2017-08-01

    This article addresses two gaps in the literature related to science department chairs: the axiological relationship between the chair and science, the subject, and the perceptions of the chair with respect to teaching and learning within their departments. In this work, axiology is used to understand how the chair's values toward the subject influenced his own perceived capacity to lead learning within his department in a reformed discourse. A narrative inquiry methodology was used to consider the chair's experiences in the development of his identify over his life span in the form of two stories: (1) the relationship between the chair and science, the subject, and (2) the perceptions of the chair with regards to teacher learning within the department. The findings revealed that the work and career of the chair in this study were authored by strong elements of personal continuity and points of stability around the valuing of science, the subject, even as this valuing evolved from being more focused on epistemic values early in his career, to being more concerned with universal values connected to his legacy and his department later in his career.

  20. Experimental investigation of chair type, row spacing, occupants, and carpet on theatre chair absorption.

    PubMed

    Choi, Young-Ji; Bradley, John S; Jeong, Dae-Up

    2015-01-01

    This paper examines how the individual variations of chair type, row spacing, as well as the presence of occupants and carpet, combine to influence the absorption characteristics of theater chairs as a function of sample perimeter-to-area (P/A) ratios. Scale models were used to measure the interactive effects of the four test variables on the chair absorption characteristics, avoiding the practical difficulties of full scale measurements. All of the test variables led to effects that could lead to important changes to auditorium acoustics conditions. At mid and higher frequencies, the various effects can usually be explained as due to, more or less, porous absorbing material. In the 125 and 250 Hz octave bands, the major changes were attributed to resonant absorbing mechanisms. The results indicate that for accurate predictions of the effective absorption of the chairs in an auditorium, one should use the P/A method and reverberation chamber tests of the chair absorption coefficients to predict the absorption coefficients of each block of chairs and use these results as input in a room acoustics computer model of the auditorium. The application of these results to auditorium acoustics design is described, more approximate approaches are considered, and relations to existing methods are discussed.

  1. Life After Being a Pathology Department Chair II

    PubMed Central

    Lipscomb, Mary F.; Gorstein, Fred; Wilkinson, David; Sanfilippo, Fred

    2017-01-01

    The 2016 Association of Pathology Chairs annual meeting featured a discussion group of Association of Pathology Chairs senior fellows (former chairs of academic departments of pathology who have remained active in Association of Pathology Chairs) that focused on how they decided to transition from the chair, how they prepared for such transition, and what they did after the transition. At the 2017 annual meeting, the senior fellows (encompassing 481 years of chair service) discussed lessons they learned from service as chair. These lessons included preparation for the chairship, what they would have done differently as chair, critical factors for success as chair, factors associated with failures, stress reduction techniques for themselves and for their faculty and staff, mechanisms for dealing with and avoiding problems, and the satisfaction they derived from their service as chair. It is reasonable to assume that these lessons may be representative of those learned by chairs of other specialties as well as by higher-level academic administrators such as deans, vice presidents, and chief executive officers. Although the environment for serving as a department chair has been changing dramatically, many of the lessons learned by former chairs are still valuable for current chairs of any length of tenure. PMID:29057316

  2. Women chairs in psychiatry: a collective reflection.

    PubMed

    Atre Vaidya, Nutan

    2006-01-01

    This article describes the experiences of women chairs in psychiatry. All women chairs in psychiatry were contacted by the author to share their personal experiences as chair. Seven out of 10 chairs accepted the invitation. A similar invitation was extended to a few female and male academics. Women in chair positions come from smaller schools and departments, have clinical and educational backgrounds, have fewer grants than their male counterparts, and are more likely to be recruited from within. Most of the women did not aspire to be chair, but after an initial adjustment period, they felt their job to be less stressful. Mentors played a role in the careers of some, but not all women chairs. Copyright (C) 2006 Academic Psychiatry.

  3. Stress Reducing Chair

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1992-01-01

    The Flogiston Chair incorporates NASA human factors in spacecraft design technology as well as information from NASA's Anthropometric Source Book. Designed by Brian V. Park, it provides a close approximation of the natural position a body assumes in weightless space. Its principal markets are information workers, designers, software developers, data processors, etc. It assists in maintaining concentration, is useful for relaxation and reality ventures. The chair may be fixed, rockable, or suspended from the ceiling.

  4. A cell biologist's perspective on physiological adaptation to opiate drugs.

    PubMed

    von Zastrow, Mark

    2004-01-01

    Opiate drugs such as morphine and heroin are among the most effective analgesics known but are also highly addictive. The clinical utility of opiates is limited by adaptive changes in the nervous system occurring after prolonged or repeated drug administration. These adaptations are believed to play an important role in the development of physiological tolerance and dependence to opiates, and to contribute to additional changes underlying the complex neurobehavioral syndrome of drug addiction. All of these adaptive changes are initiated by the binding of opiate drugs to a subfamily of G protein-coupled receptors that are also activated by endogenously produced opioid neuropeptides. It is increasingly evident that opiate-induced adaptations occur at multiple levels in the nervous system, beginning with regulation of opioid receptors themselves and extending to a complex network of direct and indirect modifications of "downstream" signaling machinery. Efforts in my laboratory are directed at understanding the biochemical and cell biological basis of opiate adaptations. So far, we have focused primarily on adaptations occurring at the level of opioid receptors themselves. These studies have contributed to defining a set of membrane trafficking mechanisms by which the number and functional activity of opioid receptors are controlled. The role of these mechanisms in affecting adaptation of "downstream" neurobiological substrates, and in mediating opiate-induced changes in whole-animal physiology and behavior, are exciting questions that are only beginning to be explored.

  5. Life After Being a Pathology Department Chair

    PubMed Central

    Lipscomb, Mary F.; Gorstein, Fred; Wilkinson, David; Sanfilippo, Fred

    2016-01-01

    Although there is a considerable literature on transition of faculty members to the position of department chair, there is a dearth of publications about transitioning from the chair to other activities including retirement. The Association of Pathology Chairs senior fellows (all of whom are former chairs of academic departments of pathology) made this topic a focus of discussion at the Association of Pathology Chairs 2016 Annual Meeting. Of the 33 senior fellows engaged in this discussion, following their time as chairs, a small majority (18) transitioned to other administrative posts within or outside the university, while the others either returned to the active faculty (7) or retired (8). The motivating factors and influences for transitioning from the chair were probed along with the processes used in executing the transition, such as the development of transition plans. The reasons for selecting the specific type of postchair activity were also investigated. There was extraordinary diversity in the type of post-chair activities pursued. To our knowledge, no other medical specialty has examined these issues, which may be potentially relevant for the career planning of active chairs. PMID:28725780

  6. Volunteer Interacting with a Rotating Chair Demonstration

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2002-01-01

    Brad McLain for the Space Biology Museum Network spins a volunteer in a rotating chair to illustrate how dependent the human vestibular system is on visual cues. The volunteer's thumbs indicate which way she thinks she is turning. Similar tests are conducted on astronauts to study how they adapt to space and readapt to Earth. The activity was part of the Space Research and You education event held by NASA's Office of Biological and Physical Research on June 25, 2002, in Arlington, VA, to highlight the research that will be conducted on STS-107.

  7. Functional genomics of physiological plasticity and local adaptation in killifish.

    PubMed

    Whitehead, Andrew; Galvez, Fernando; Zhang, Shujun; Williams, Larissa M; Oleksiak, Marjorie F

    2011-01-01

    Evolutionary solutions to the physiological challenges of life in highly variable habitats can span the continuum from evolution of a cosmopolitan plastic phenotype to the evolution of locally adapted phenotypes. Killifish (Fundulus sp.) have evolved both highly plastic and locally adapted phenotypes within different selective contexts, providing a comparative system in which to explore the genomic underpinnings of physiological plasticity and adaptive variation. Importantly, extensive variation exists among populations and species for tolerance to a variety of stressors, and we exploit this variation in comparative studies to yield insights into the genomic basis of evolved phenotypic variation. Notably, species of Fundulus occupy the continuum of osmotic habitats from freshwater to marine and populations within Fundulus heteroclitus span far greater variation in pollution tolerance than across all species of fish. Here, we explore how transcriptome regulation underpins extreme physiological plasticity on osmotic shock and how genomic and transcriptomic variation is associated with locally evolved pollution tolerance. We show that F. heteroclitus quickly acclimate to extreme osmotic shock by mounting a dramatic rapid transcriptomic response including an early crisis control phase followed by a tissue remodeling phase involving many regulatory pathways. We also show that convergent evolution of locally adapted pollution tolerance involves complex patterns of gene expression and genome sequence variation, which is confounded with body-weight dependence for some genes. Similarly, exploiting the natural phenotypic variation associated with other established and emerging model organisms is likely to greatly accelerate the pace of discovery of the genomic basis of phenotypic variation.

  8. Functional Genomics of Physiological Plasticity and Local Adaptation in Killifish

    PubMed Central

    Galvez, Fernando; Zhang, Shujun; Williams, Larissa M.; Oleksiak, Marjorie F.

    2011-01-01

    Evolutionary solutions to the physiological challenges of life in highly variable habitats can span the continuum from evolution of a cosmopolitan plastic phenotype to the evolution of locally adapted phenotypes. Killifish (Fundulus sp.) have evolved both highly plastic and locally adapted phenotypes within different selective contexts, providing a comparative system in which to explore the genomic underpinnings of physiological plasticity and adaptive variation. Importantly, extensive variation exists among populations and species for tolerance to a variety of stressors, and we exploit this variation in comparative studies to yield insights into the genomic basis of evolved phenotypic variation. Notably, species of Fundulus occupy the continuum of osmotic habitats from freshwater to marine and populations within Fundulus heteroclitus span far greater variation in pollution tolerance than across all species of fish. Here, we explore how transcriptome regulation underpins extreme physiological plasticity on osmotic shock and how genomic and transcriptomic variation is associated with locally evolved pollution tolerance. We show that F. heteroclitus quickly acclimate to extreme osmotic shock by mounting a dramatic rapid transcriptomic response including an early crisis control phase followed by a tissue remodeling phase involving many regulatory pathways. We also show that convergent evolution of locally adapted pollution tolerance involves complex patterns of gene expression and genome sequence variation, which is confounded with body-weight dependence for some genes. Similarly, exploiting the natural phenotypic variation associated with other established and emerging model organisms is likely to greatly accelerate the pace of discovery of the genomic basis of phenotypic variation. PMID:20581107

  9. 21 CFR 886.1140 - Ophthalmic chair.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Ophthalmic chair. 886.1140 Section 886.1140 Food... DEVICES OPHTHALMIC DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 886.1140 Ophthalmic chair. (a) Identification. An ophthalmic chair is an AC-powered or manual device with adjustable positioning in which a patient is to sit...

  10. Comparison of four specific dynamic office chairs with a conventional office chair: impact upon muscle activation, physical activity and posture.

    PubMed

    Ellegast, Rolf P; Kraft, Kathrin; Groenesteijn, Liesbeth; Krause, Frank; Berger, Helmut; Vink, Peter

    2012-03-01

    Prolonged and static sitting postures provoke physical inactivity at VDU workplaces and are therefore discussed as risk factors for the musculoskeletal system. Manufacturers have designed specific dynamic office chairs featuring structural elements which promote dynamic sitting and therefore physical activity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of four specific dynamic chairs on erector spinae and trapezius EMG, postures/joint angles and physical activity intensity (PAI) compared to those of a conventional standard office chair. All chairs were fitted with sensors for measurement of the chair parameters (backrest inclination, forward and sideward seat pan inclination), and tested in the laboratory by 10 subjects performing 7 standardized office tasks and by another 12 subjects in the field during their normal office work. Muscle activation revealed no significant differences between the specific dynamic chairs and the reference chair. Analysis of postures/joint angles and PAI revealed only a few differences between the chairs, whereas the tasks performed strongly affected the measured muscle activation, postures and kinematics. The characteristic dynamic elements of each specific chair yielded significant differences in the measured chair parameters, but these characteristics did not appear to affect the sitting dynamics of the subjects performing their office tasks. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

  11. ARG1 Functions in the Physiological Adaptation of Undifferentiated Plant Cells to Spaceflight

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zupanska, Agata K.; Schultz, Eric R.; Yao, JiQiang; Sng, Natasha J.; Zhou, Mingqi; Callaham, Jordan B.; Ferl, Robert J.; Paul, Anna-Lisa

    2017-11-01

    Scientific access to spaceflight and especially the International Space Station has revealed that physiological adaptation to spaceflight is accompanied or enabled by changes in gene expression that significantly alter the transcriptome of cells in spaceflight. A wide range of experiments have shown that plant physiological adaptation to spaceflight involves gene expression changes that alter cell wall and other metabolisms. However, while transcriptome profiling aptly illuminates changes in gene expression that accompany spaceflight adaptation, mutation analysis is required to illuminate key elements required for that adaptation. Here we report how transcriptome profiling was used to gain insight into the spaceflight adaptation role of Altered response to gravity 1 (Arg1), a gene known to affect gravity responses in plants on Earth. The study compared expression profiles of cultured lines of Arabidopsis thaliana derived from wild-type (WT) cultivar Col-0 to profiles from a knock-out line deficient in the gene encoding ARG1 (ARG1 KO), both on the ground and in space. The cell lines were launched on SpaceX CRS-2 as part of the Cellular Expression Logic (CEL) experiment of the BRIC-17 spaceflight mission. The cultured cell lines were grown within 60 mm Petri plates in Petri Dish Fixation Units (PDFUs) that were housed within the Biological Research In Canisters (BRIC) hardware. Spaceflight samples were fixed on orbit. Differentially expressed genes were identified between the two environments (spaceflight and comparable ground controls) and the two genotypes (WT and ARG1 KO). Each genotype engaged unique genes during physiological adaptation to the spaceflight environment, with little overlap. Most of the genes altered in expression in spaceflight in WT cells were found to be Arg1-dependent, suggesting a major role for that gene in the physiological adaptation of undifferentiated cells to spaceflight.

  12. Chair Talk: Resources to Maximize Administrative Efforts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    MacDonald, H.; Chan, M. A.; Bierly, E. W.; Manduca, C. A.; Ormand, C. J.

    2009-12-01

    Earth science department chairs are generally scientists who have little/no formal administrative training. The common rotation of faculty members in three-six year cycles distributes the heavy leadership responsibilities but involves little preparation beforehand to deal with budgets, fundraising, personnel issues, confrontations, and crises. The amount of information exchange and support upon exit and handoff to the next chair is variable. Resources for chairs include workshops, meetings (ranging from annual meetings of geoscience chairs to monthly meetings of small groups of chairs from various disciplines on a campus), discussions, and online resources. These resources, some of which we designed in the past several years, provide information and support for chairs, help them share best practices, and reduce time spent “reinventing the wheel”. Most of these resources involve groups of chairs in our discipline who meet together. The AGU Board of Heads and Chairs of Earth and Space Science Departments offers annual one-day workshops at the Fall AGU meeting. The specific topics vary from year to year; they have included goals and roles of heads and chairs, fundraising and Advisory Boards, student recruitment, interdisciplinarity, dual-career couples, and undergraduate research. The workshop provides ample opportunities for open discussion. Annual one-two day meetings of groups of geoscience department chairs (e.g., research universities in a particular region) provide an opportunity for chairs to share specific data about their departments (e.g., salaries, graduate student stipends, information about facilities) and discuss strategies. At the College of William and Mary, a small group of chairs meets monthly throughout the year; each session includes time for open discussion as well as a more structured discussion on a particular topic (e.g., merit review, development and fundraising, mentoring early career faculty and the tenure process, leadership styles

  13. Physiological Adaptations to Resistance Training in Prepubertal Boys

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    dos Santos Cunha, Giovani; Sant'anna, Marcelo Morganti; Cadore, Eduardo Lusa; de Oliveira, Norton Luis; dos Santos, Cinara Bos; Pinto, Ronei Silveira; Reischak-Oliveira, Alvaro

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the physiological adaptations of resistance training (RT) in prepubertal boys. Methods: Eighteen healthy boys were divided into RT (n = 9, M[subscript age] = 10.4 ± 0.5 years) and control (CTR; n = 9, M[subscript age] = 10.9 ± 0.7 years) groups. The RT group underwent a resistance training…

  14. Adaptive style and physiological reactivity during a laboratory stress paradigm in children with cancer and healthy controls.

    PubMed

    Williams, Natalie A; Allen, Michael T; Phipps, Sean

    2011-10-01

    Repressive adaptation has been conceptualized as one pathway to psychological resilience in children with cancer, but the physiological costs of maintaining a repressive adaptive style are currently unknown. The goal of this study was to examine physiological functioning as a function of adaptive style in children with cancer (N = 120) and healthy controls (N = 120). Children completed self-report measures of state anxiety and defensiveness prior to participating in three verbal stress tasks while monitoring blood pressure, electrocardiogram, and electrodermal response, and rated their anxiety following each task. Findings indicated no consistent differences in baseline indices and physiological reactivity as a function of adaptive style or health status (cancer vs. control). In addition, children identified as having a repressive adaptive style did not exhibit greater verbal-autonomic discrepancy than low-anxious children. In contrast to findings with adults, children with a repressive adaptive style do not appear to experience adverse effects of this coping style in terms of physiological reactivity.

  15. Physiological adaptations to interval training and the role of exercise intensity.

    PubMed

    MacInnis, Martin J; Gibala, Martin J

    2017-05-01

    Interval exercise typically involves repeated bouts of relatively intense exercise interspersed by short periods of recovery. A common classification scheme subdivides this method into high-intensity interval training (HIIT; 'near maximal' efforts) and sprint interval training (SIT; 'supramaximal' efforts). Both forms of interval training induce the classic physiological adaptations characteristic of moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) such as increased aerobic capacity (V̇O2 max ) and mitochondrial content. This brief review considers the role of exercise intensity in mediating physiological adaptations to training, with a focus on the capacity for aerobic energy metabolism. With respect to skeletal muscle adaptations, cellular stress and the resultant metabolic signals for mitochondrial biogenesis depend largely on exercise intensity, with limited work suggesting that increases in mitochondrial content are superior after HIIT compared to MICT, at least when matched-work comparisons are made within the same individual. It is well established that SIT increases mitochondrial content to a similar extent to MICT despite a reduced exercise volume. At the whole-body level, V̇O2 max is generally increased more by HIIT than MICT for a given training volume, whereas SIT and MICT similarly improve V̇O2 max despite differences in training volume. There is less evidence available regarding the role of exercise intensity in mediating changes in skeletal muscle capillary density, maximum stroke volume and cardiac output, and blood volume. Furthermore, the interactions between intensity and duration and frequency have not been thoroughly explored. While interval training is clearly a potent stimulus for physiological remodelling in humans, the integrative response to this type of exercise warrants further attention, especially in comparison to traditional endurance training. © 2016 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2016 The Physiological Society.

  16. Handbook for Theatre Department Chairs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whitmore, Jon, Ed.

    Based on a workshop for theatre department chairs, guidance on administrative and departmental responsibilities are provided in the following chapters: (1) "Chairs and Deans: Working Together" (J. Robert Wills); (2) "Faculty Evaluation" (Patti P. Gillespie); (3) "Evaluation for Promotion and Tenure" (James M. Symons); (4) "Production Program…

  17. Short-term adaptation of the VOR: non-retinal-slip error signals and saccade substitution

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Eggers, Sscott D Z.; De Pennington, Nick; Walker, Mark F.; Shelhamer, Mark; Zee, David S.

    2003-01-01

    We studied short-term (30 min) adaptation of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) in five normal humans using a "position error" stimulus without retinal image motion. Both before and after adaptation a velocity gain (peak slow-phase eye velocity/peak head velocity) and a position gain (total eye movement during chair rotation/amplitude of chair motion) were measured in darkness using search coils. The vestibular stimulus was a brief ( approximately 700 ms), 15 degrees chair rotation in darkness (peak velocity 43 degrees /s). To elicit adaptation, a straight-ahead fixation target disappeared during chair movement and when the chair stopped the target reappeared at a new location in front of the subject for gain-decrease (x0) adaptation, or 10 degrees opposite to chair motion for gain-increase (x1.67) adaptation. This position-error stimulus was effective at inducing VOR adaptation, though for gain-increase adaptation the primary strategy was to substitute augmenting saccades during rotation while for gain-decrease adaptation both corrective saccades and a decrease in slow-phase velocity occurred. Finally, the presence of the position-error signal alone, at the end of head rotation, without any attempt to fix upon it, was not sufficient to induce adaptation. Adaptation did occur, however, if the subject did make a saccade to the target after head rotation, or even if the subject paid attention to the new location of the target without actually looking at it.

  18. Ergonomic Chairs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1997-01-01

    Findings published in the NASA Anthropometric Source Book by Johnson Space Center helped BodyBilt, Inc. to fashion controlled comfort chairs that lessen the harmful effects of gravity on seated workers. Crew members living aboard NASA's Skylab noted that in space the human posture differs from the normal posture caused by the tug of one gravity. There has been an alarming increase in back pain and muscle fatigue in workers, along with a dramatic escalation in repetitive stress injuries. BodyBilt's ergonomically-correct line of office chairs are targeted for the average worker that sits for prolonged periods, be it in the classroom or boardroom. Their roster of national clients lists such organizations as IBM, Microsoft, Texas Instruments, Hewlett-Packard, Eastman-Kodak, Boeing, Motorola, and Walt Disney Studios.

  19. Leadership Skills for Department Chairs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gmelch, Walter H.; Miskin, Val D.

    This guide to leadership for college department chairs addresses three major challenges: (1) developing understanding and clarity about the motives and role of a department chair; (2) understanding the strategic planning process for creating a productive department; and (3) developing key leadership skills required for effectiveness. The first…

  20. A comparison of four office chairs using biomechanical measures.

    PubMed

    Bush, Tamara Reid; Hubbard, Robert P

    2008-08-01

    The authors sought to use biomechanical measures, including motion and pressure, to compare four office chairs. The fit of a person to a chair is related to the geometric and kinematic compatibility between the two. This geometric compatibility influences the motions that are allowed or prohibited and the support pressures at the body-chair interface. Thus, during evaluation, it is necessary to treat the chair and user as a system. Four dynamic test conditions were evaluated with 14 participants of varying anthropometries. Test conditions were selected to compare the ability to accommodate primary and secondary motions (recline and spinal articulation) of seated occupants. The ability of a chair to allow recline, yet maintain head and hand positions, was compared across chairs. Also, the ability of each chair to allow and support spinal articulation was evaluated. Motion data for the chair, head, thorax, pelvis, and extremities were collected along with chair back pressures. Upon completion of testing, subjective assessments were also conducted. Statistically significant differences were found between chairs relative to head and hand motions. Also, significant differences were noted for the chairs' ability to move with the body during spinal articulation and the ability to provide support. Subjective assessments also yielded differences. Biomechanical analyses using motions and pressures can be conducted on office chairs with significant differences detected in their performance. Biomechanical assessments can be used to compare and contrast office chairs in terms that are relatable to fatigue reduction as well as operator performance.

  1. Developing a Job Description for a Vice Chair of Education in Radiology: The ADVICER Template.

    PubMed

    Lewis, Petra J; Probyn, Linda; McGuinness, Georgeann; Nguyen, Jeremy; Mullins, Mark E; Resnik, Charles; Oldham, Sandra

    2015-07-01

    The newly formed Alliance of Directors and Vice Chairs of Education in Radiology (ADVICER), a group within the Alliance for Clinician Educators in Radiology, identified an acute need for a generic job description template for Vice Chairs of Education in Radiology, a role that is being developed in many academic Departments of Radiology. Eighty-three percent of current members who responded to a survey had no detailed job description, and over half had no job description at all. Having a comprehensive and detailed job description is vital to developing this key position. Using the results of a survey sent to ADVICER members and seven Education Vice Chair job descriptions provided by members, the authors developed a detailed job description encompassing all potential elements of this position. Only 17% of survey respondents had a detailed job description. The role of an Education Vice Chair varies significantly between institutions in its scope and level of responsibilities. The resultant generic job description that was devised is intended to provide a template that would be modified by the candidate or the Department Chair. It is unlikely that any one individual would perform all the described activities. ADVICER has developed a comprehensive, flexible job description for Vice Chair of Education in Radiology that can be adapted by institutions as appropriate. It can be downloaded from http://aur.org/ADVICER/. Copyright © 2015 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Adaptation of bone to physiological stimuli.

    PubMed

    Judex, S; Gross, T S; Bray, R C; Zernicke, R F

    1997-05-01

    The ability of bone to alter its morphology in response to local physical stimuli is predicated upon the appropriate recruitment of bone cell populations. In turn, the ability to initiate cellular recruitment is influenced by numerous local and systemic factors. In this paper, we discuss data from three ongoing projects from our laboratory that examine how physiological processes influence adaptation and growth in the skeleton. In the first study, we recorded in vivo strains to quantify the locomotion-induced distribution of two parameters closely related to bone fluid flow strain rate and strain gradients. We found that the magnitude of these parameters (and thus the implied fluid flow) varies substantially within a given cross-section, and that while strain rate magnitude increases uniformly with elevated speed, strain gradients increase focally as gait speed is increased. Secondly, we examined the influence of vascular alterations on bone adaptation by assessing bone blood flow and bone mechanical properties in an in vivo model of trauma-induced joint laxity. A strong negative correlation (r2 = 0.8) was found between increased blood flow (76%) in the primary and secondary spongiosa and decreased stiffness (-34%) following 14 weeks of joint laxity. These data suggest that blood flow and/or vascular adaptation may interact closely with bone adaptation initiated by trauma. Thirdly, we examined the effect of a systemic influence upon skeletal health. After 4 weeks old rats were fed high fat-sucrose diets for 2 yr, their bone mechanical properties were significantly reduced. These changes were primarily due to interference with normal calcium absorption. In the aggregate, these studies emphasize the complexity of bone's normal physical environment, and also illustrate the potential interactions of local and systemic factors upon the process by which bone adapts to physical stimuli.

  3. Life After Being a Pathology Department Chair II: Lessons Learned.

    PubMed

    Bailey, David N; Lipscomb, Mary F; Gorstein, Fred; Wilkinson, David; Sanfilippo, Fred

    2017-01-01

    The 2016 Association of Pathology Chairs annual meeting featured a discussion group of Association of Pathology Chairs senior fellows (former chairs of academic departments of pathology who have remained active in Association of Pathology Chairs) that focused on how they decided to transition from the chair, how they prepared for such transition, and what they did after the transition. At the 2017 annual meeting, the senior fellows (encompassing 481 years of chair service) discussed lessons they learned from service as chair. These lessons included preparation for the chairship, what they would have done differently as chair, critical factors for success as chair, factors associated with failures, stress reduction techniques for themselves and for their faculty and staff, mechanisms for dealing with and avoiding problems, and the satisfaction they derived from their service as chair. It is reasonable to assume that these lessons may be representative of those learned by chairs of other specialties as well as by higher-level academic administrators such as deans, vice presidents, and chief executive officers. Although the environment for serving as a department chair has been changing dramatically, many of the lessons learned by former chairs are still valuable for current chairs of any length of tenure.

  4. Nutrition and human physiological adaptations to space flight

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lane, H. W.; LeBlanc, A. D.; Putcha, L.; Whitson, P. A.

    1993-01-01

    Space flight provides a model for the study of healthy individuals undergoing unique stresses. This review focuses on how physiological adaptations to weightlessness may affect nutrient and food requirements in space. These adaptations include reductions in body water and plasma volume, which affect the renal and cardiovascular systems and thereby fluid and electrolyte requirements. Changes in muscle mass and function may affect requirements for energy, protein and amino acids. Changes in bone mass lead to increased urinary calcium concentrations, which may increase the risk of forming renal stones. Space motion sickness may influence putative changes in gastro-intestinal-hepatic function; neurosensory alterations may affect smell and taste. Some or all of these effects may be ameliorated through the use of specially designed dietary countermeasures.

  5. Understanding the needs of department chairs in academic medicine.

    PubMed

    Lieff, Susan; Banack, Jeannine Girard-Pearlman; Baker, Lindsay; Martimianakis, Maria Athina; Verma, Sarita; Whiteside, Catharine; Reeves, Scott

    2013-07-01

    The challenges for senior academic leadership in medicine are significant and becoming increasingly complex. Adapting to the rapidly changing environment of health care and medical education requires strong leadership and management skills. This article provides empirical evidence about the intricate needs of department chairs to provide insight into the design of support and development opportunities. In an exploratory case study, 21 of 25 (84%) department chairs within a faculty of medicine at a large Canadian university participated in semistructured interviews from December 2009 to February 2010. The authors conducted an inductive thematic analysis and identified a coding structure through an iterative process of relating and grouping of emerging themes. These participants were initially often insufficiently prepared for the demands of their roles. They identified a specific set of needs. They required cultural and structural awareness to navigate their hospital and university landscapes. A comprehensive network of support was necessary for eliciting advice and exchanging information, strategy, and emotional support. They identified a critical need for infrastructure growth and development. Finally, they stressed that they needed improvement in both effective interpersonal and influence skills in order to meet their mandate. Given the complexities and emotional burden of their role, it is necessary for chairs to have a range of supports and capabilities to succeed in their roles. Their leadership effectiveness can be enhanced by providing transitional processes and supports, development, and mentoring as well as facilitating the development of communities of peers.

  6. Predicting organismal vulnerability to climate warming: roles of behaviour, physiology and adaptation

    PubMed Central

    Huey, Raymond B.; Kearney, Michael R.; Krockenberger, Andrew; Holtum, Joseph A. M.; Jess, Mellissa; Williams, Stephen E.

    2012-01-01

    A recently developed integrative framework proposes that the vulnerability of a species to environmental change depends on the species' exposure and sensitivity to environmental change, its resilience to perturbations and its potential to adapt to change. These vulnerability criteria require behavioural, physiological and genetic data. With this information in hand, biologists can predict organisms most at risk from environmental change. Biologists and managers can then target organisms and habitats most at risk. Unfortunately, the required data (e.g. optimal physiological temperatures) are rarely available. Here, we evaluate the reliability of potential proxies (e.g. critical temperatures) that are often available for some groups. Several proxies for ectotherms are promising, but analogous ones for endotherms are lacking. We also develop a simple graphical model of how behavioural thermoregulation, acclimation and adaptation may interact to influence vulnerability over time. After considering this model together with the proxies available for physiological sensitivity to climate change, we conclude that ectotherms sharing vulnerability traits seem concentrated in lowland tropical forests. Their vulnerability may be exacerbated by negative biotic interactions. Whether tropical forest (or other) species can adapt to warming environments is unclear, as genetic and selective data are scant. Nevertheless, the prospects for tropical forest ectotherms appear grim. PMID:22566674

  7. Predicting organismal vulnerability to climate warming: roles of behaviour, physiology and adaptation.

    PubMed

    Huey, Raymond B; Kearney, Michael R; Krockenberger, Andrew; Holtum, Joseph A M; Jess, Mellissa; Williams, Stephen E

    2012-06-19

    A recently developed integrative framework proposes that the vulnerability of a species to environmental change depends on the species' exposure and sensitivity to environmental change, its resilience to perturbations and its potential to adapt to change. These vulnerability criteria require behavioural, physiological and genetic data. With this information in hand, biologists can predict organisms most at risk from environmental change. Biologists and managers can then target organisms and habitats most at risk. Unfortunately, the required data (e.g. optimal physiological temperatures) are rarely available. Here, we evaluate the reliability of potential proxies (e.g. critical temperatures) that are often available for some groups. Several proxies for ectotherms are promising, but analogous ones for endotherms are lacking. We also develop a simple graphical model of how behavioural thermoregulation, acclimation and adaptation may interact to influence vulnerability over time. After considering this model together with the proxies available for physiological sensitivity to climate change, we conclude that ectotherms sharing vulnerability traits seem concentrated in lowland tropical forests. Their vulnerability may be exacerbated by negative biotic interactions. Whether tropical forest (or other) species can adapt to warming environments is unclear, as genetic and selective data are scant. Nevertheless, the prospects for tropical forest ectotherms appear grim.

  8. Validation of a Manually Oscillating Chair for In-The-Field Assessment of Dynamic Visual Acuity on Crewmembers Within Hours of Returning From Long-Duration Spaceflight

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kreutzberg, G. A.; Rosenberg, M. J. F.; Peters, B. T.; Reschke,M. F.

    2017-01-01

    Long-duration spaceflight results in sensorimotor adaptations, which cause functional deficits during gravitational transitions, such as landing on a planetary surface after long-duration microgravity exposure. Both the vestibular system and the central nervous system are affected by gravitational transitions. These systems are responsible for coordinating head and eye movements via the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and go through an adaptation period upon exposure to microgravity. Consequently, they must also re-adapt to Earth's gravitational environment upon landing. This re-adaptation causes decrements in gaze control and dynamic visual acuity, with crewmembers reporting oscillopsia and blurred vision caused by retinal slip, or the inability to keep an image focused on their retina. This is thought to drive motion sickness symptoms experienced by most crewmembers following landing. Retinal slip can be estimated by dynamic visual acuity (DVA); visual acuity while in motion. Previously, DVA has been assessed in the laboratory where subjects walked at 6.4 km/hr on a motorized treadmill. Using this method, Peters et al. (2011) found that DVA is worsened in astronauts by an average of 0.75 eye-chart lines one day after landing. However, it is believed that re-adaptation occurs quickly and that DVA might be worse immediately upon re-exposure to a gravitational environment. Since many crewmembers are unable to walk safely upon landing, it was necessary to develop a method for replicating the vertical head movements associated with walking. In addition, the use of a chair to imitate the head displacement caused by walking isolates eye-head interactions without allowing for trunk and lower-body compensation, as seen with treadmill walking (Mulavara & Bloomberg 2003). Therefore, a modality for assessing DVA in the field within a few hours of landing was developed. In this study, we validated the ability of a manually operated oscillating chair to reproduce the oscillatory

  9. Target of physiological gait: Realization of speed adaptive control for a prosthetic knee during swing flexion.

    PubMed

    Cao, Wujing; Yu, Hongliu; Zhao, Weiliang; Li, Jin; Wei, Xiaodong

    2018-01-01

    Prosthetic knee is the most important component of lower limb prosthesis. Speed adaptive for prosthetic knee during swing flexion is the key method to realize physiological gait. This study aims to discuss the target of physiological gait, propose a speed adaptive control method during swing flexion and research the damping adjustment law of intelligent hydraulic prosthetic knee. According to the physiological gait trials of healthy people, the control target during swing flexion is defined. A new prosthetic knee with fuzzy logical control during swing flexion is designed to realize the damping adjustment automatically. The function simulation and evaluation system of intelligent knee prosthesis is provided. Speed adaptive control test of the intelligent prosthetic knee in different velocities are researched. The maximum swing flexion of the knee angle is set between sixty degree and seventy degree as the target of physiological gait. Preliminary experimental results demonstrate that the prosthetic knee with fuzzy logical control is able to realize physiological gait under different speeds. The faster the walking, the bigger the valve closure percentage of the hydraulic prosthetic knee. The proposed fuzzy logical control strategy and intelligent hydraulic prosthetic knee are effective for the amputee to achieve physiological gait.

  10. Physiological adaptations to weight loss and factors favouring weight regain

    PubMed Central

    Greenway, F L

    2015-01-01

    Obesity is a major global health problem and predisposes individuals to several comorbidities that can affect life expectancy. Interventions based on lifestyle modification (for example, improved diet and exercise) are integral components in the management of obesity. However, although weight loss can be achieved through dietary restriction and/or increased physical activity, over the long term many individuals regain weight. The aim of this article is to review the research into the processes and mechanisms that underpin weight regain after weight loss and comment on future strategies to address them. Maintenance of body weight is regulated by the interaction of a number of processes, encompassing homoeostatic, environmental and behavioural factors. In homoeostatic regulation, the hypothalamus has a central role in integrating signals regarding food intake, energy balance and body weight, while an ‘obesogenic' environment and behavioural patterns exert effects on the amount and type of food intake and physical activity. The roles of other environmental factors are also now being considered, including sleep debt and iatrogenic effects of medications, many of which warrant further investigation. Unfortunately, physiological adaptations to weight loss favour weight regain. These changes include perturbations in the levels of circulating appetite-related hormones and energy homoeostasis, in addition to alterations in nutrient metabolism and subjective appetite. To maintain weight loss, individuals must adhere to behaviours that counteract physiological adaptations and other factors favouring weight regain. It is difficult to overcome physiology with behaviour. Weight loss medications and surgery change the physiology of body weight regulation and are the best chance for long-term success. An increased understanding of the physiology of weight loss and regain will underpin the development of future strategies to support overweight and obese individuals in their

  11. Physiological adaptation of the growth-restricted fetus.

    PubMed

    Maršál, Karel

    2018-05-01

    The growth-restricted fetus in utero is exposed to a hostile environment and suffers undernutrition and hypoxia. To cope with the stress, the fetus changes its physiological functions. These adaptive changes aid intrauterine survival; however, they can lead to permanent functional and structural changes that can contribute to the development of serious chronic diseases later in life. Epigenetic mechanisms are an important part of the pathophysiological processes behind this "developmental origin of adult diseases." The dominant cardiovascular adaptive change is the redistribution of blood flow in hypoxic fetuses, with preferential supply of blood to the fetal brain, myocardium, and adrenal glands. The proportion of blood from the umbilical vein to the ductus venosus and foramen ovale increases, which increases the cardiac output of the left heart ventricle. The increased perfusion of fetal brain can be followed with Doppler ultrasound as increased diastolic velocities and decreased pulsatility index in the middle cerebral artery. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  12. Women chairs in academic medicine: engendering strategic intuition.

    PubMed

    Isaac, Carol; Griffin, Lindsay

    2015-01-01

    Because stereotypically masculine behaviors are required for effective leadership, examining female chairs' leadership in academic medicine can provide insight into the complex ways in which gender impacts on their leadership practices. The paper aims to discuss this issue. The author interviewed three female clinical chairs and compared the findings to interviews with 28 of their faculty. Grounded theory analysis of the subsequent text gathered comprehensive, systematic, and in-depth information about this case of interest at a US top-tier academic medical center. Four of five themes from the faculty were consistent with the chair's narrative with modifications: Prior Environment (Motivated by Excellence), Tough, Direct, Transparent (Developing Trust), Communal Actions (Creating Diversity of Opinion), and Building Power through Consensus (an "Artful Exercise") with an additional theme, the Significance (and Insignificance) of a Female Chair. While faculty members were acutely aware of the chair's gender, the chairs paradoxically vacillated between gender being a "non-issue" and noting that male chairs "don't do laundry." All three female chairs in this study independently and explicitly stated that gender was not a barrier, yet intuitively used successful strategies derived from the research literature. This study suggests that while their gender was highlighted by faculty, these women dismissed gender as a "non-issue." The duality of gender for these three female leaders was both minimized and subtly affirmed.

  13. 21 CFR 892.1820 - Pneumoencephalographic chair.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Pneumoencephalographic chair. 892.1820 Section 892.1820 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1820 Pneumoencephalographic chair. (a...

  14. 21 CFR 882.4125 - Neurosurgical chair.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Neurosurgical chair. 882.4125 Section 882.4125 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES NEUROLOGICAL DEVICES Neurological Surgical Devices § 882.4125 Neurosurgical chair. (a...

  15. 21 CFR 882.4125 - Neurosurgical chair.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Neurosurgical chair. 882.4125 Section 882.4125 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES NEUROLOGICAL DEVICES Neurological Surgical Devices § 882.4125 Neurosurgical chair. (a...

  16. The Ideal Chair: Appropriate and Inappropriate Roles.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Anita

    1985-01-01

    Reviews tasks and duties of department chairs, stressing the importance of establishing priorities and delegating appropriately. Includes an Appropriate Chair Role analysis for the Communication Department, George Mason University. (PD)

  17. 21 CFR 890.3100 - Mechanical chair.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Mechanical chair. 890.3100 Section 890.3100 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Prosthetic Devices § 890.3100 Mechanical chair. (a...

  18. 21 CFR 890.3100 - Mechanical chair.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Mechanical chair. 890.3100 Section 890.3100 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Prosthetic Devices § 890.3100 Mechanical chair. (a...

  19. 21 CFR 890.3100 - Mechanical chair.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Mechanical chair. 890.3100 Section 890.3100 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Prosthetic Devices § 890.3100 Mechanical chair. (a...

  20. 21 CFR 890.3100 - Mechanical chair.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Mechanical chair. 890.3100 Section 890.3100 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Prosthetic Devices § 890.3100 Mechanical chair. (a...

  1. 21 CFR 890.3100 - Mechanical chair.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Mechanical chair. 890.3100 Section 890.3100 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Prosthetic Devices § 890.3100 Mechanical chair. (a...

  2. 21 CFR 872.6250 - Dental chair and accessories.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Dental chair and accessories. 872.6250 Section 872...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Miscellaneous Devices § 872.6250 Dental chair and accessories. (a) Identification. A dental chair and accessories is a device, usually AC-powered, in which a patient sits. The...

  3. 21 CFR 872.6250 - Dental chair and accessories.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Dental chair and accessories. 872.6250 Section 872...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Miscellaneous Devices § 872.6250 Dental chair and accessories. (a) Identification. A dental chair and accessories is a device, usually AC-powered, in which a patient sits. The...

  4. 21 CFR 872.6250 - Dental chair and accessories.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Dental chair and accessories. 872.6250 Section 872...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Miscellaneous Devices § 872.6250 Dental chair and accessories. (a) Identification. A dental chair and accessories is a device, usually AC-powered, in which a patient sits. The...

  5. 21 CFR 872.6250 - Dental chair and accessories.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Dental chair and accessories. 872.6250 Section 872...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Miscellaneous Devices § 872.6250 Dental chair and accessories. (a) Identification. A dental chair and accessories is a device, usually AC-powered, in which a patient sits. The...

  6. 21 CFR 872.6250 - Dental chair and accessories.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Dental chair and accessories. 872.6250 Section 872...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Miscellaneous Devices § 872.6250 Dental chair and accessories. (a) Identification. A dental chair and accessories is a device, usually AC-powered, in which a patient sits. The...

  7. 21 CFR 880.6140 - Medical chair and table.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Medical chair and table. 880.6140 Section 880.6140...) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL HOSPITAL AND PERSONAL USE DEVICES General Hospital and Personal Use Miscellaneous Devices § 880.6140 Medical chair and table. (a) Identification. A medical chair or table is a device...

  8. Jean-Martin Charcot and his vibratory chair for Parkinson disease.

    PubMed

    Goetz, Christopher G

    2009-08-11

    Vibration therapy is currently used in diverse medical specialties ranging from orthopedics to urology to sports medicine. The celebrated 19th-century neurologist, J.-M. Charcot, used vibratory therapy to treat Parkinson disease (PD). This study analyzed printed writings by Charcot and other writers on vibratory therapy and accessed unpublished notes from the Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris. Charcot lectured on several occasions on vibratory therapy and its neurologic applications. He developed a vibration chair for patients with PD after he observed that patients were more comfortable and slept better after a train or carriage ride. He replicated this experience by having patients undergo daily 30-minute sessions in the automated vibratory chair (fauteuil trépidant). His junior colleague, Gilles de la Tourette, extended these observations and developed a helmet that vibrated the head on the premise that the brain responded directly to the pulsations. Although after Charcot's death vibratory therapy was not widely pursued, vibratory appliances are reemerging in 21st century medicine and can be retested using adaptations of Charcot's neurologic protocols.

  9. Urban plant physiology: adaptation-mitigation strategies under permanent stress.

    PubMed

    Calfapietra, Carlo; Peñuelas, Josep; Niinemets, Ülo

    2015-02-01

    Urban environments that are stressful for plant function and growth will become increasingly widespread in future. In this opinion article, we define the concept of 'urban plant physiology', which focuses on plant responses and long term adaptations to urban conditions and on the capacity of urban vegetation to mitigate environmental hazards in urbanized settings such as air and soil pollution. Use of appropriate control treatments would allow for studies in urban environments to be comparable to expensive manipulative experiments. In this opinion article, we propose to couple two approaches, based either on environmental gradients or manipulated gradients, to develop the concept of urban plant physiology for assessing how single or multiple environmental factors affect the key environmental services provided by urban forests. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Mother chair reparation to decrease subjective disorders in exclusive breast-feeding period

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Santiana, M. A.; Yusuf, M.; Lokantara, W. D.

    2018-01-01

    Exclusive breastfeeding is the responsibility of the mother after childbirth. A specific constraint arise for the mother when during the breastfeeding process, the place is not in accordance with the physiological condition of the mother's body. A not physiologically corrected lactation place will cause subjective disorders for breastfeeding mothers. Complaints that arise include quick tiredness, with certain muscles sore and pain, which will ultimately decrease the motivation of the mothers to perform exclusive breastfeeding especially in the first six months of the baby's birth. An improved ergonomic designed chair, this research used experimental method with group within treatment (treatment by subject) to solve the problem. The study took place in Maternity Clinic “CB” Badung regency, Bali. Subjective disorders are measured based on general fatigue and musculoskeletal disorders mothers breastfeeding. Fatigue is predicted using 30 items of questionnaires while musculoskeletal compaints are predicted from the Nordic Body Map questionnaire. Data were analyzed descriptively and inferentially in an experiment condition using using t-pair test. The results showed that there were significant differences in fatigue in general and skeletal musculoskeletal disorders between treatment 1 (using old chair) with treatment 2 (using repaired seats) in breastfeeding mothers. Fatigue in general decreased by 35.6% and skeletal musculoskeletal disorders decreased by 26.8%. It was concluded that improved breastfeeding mothers' seats may decrease subjective disorders during exclusive breastfeeding. It is therefore advisable for breastfeeding mothers to use seats that match their anthropometry.

  11. Kutscher Elected Future Chair of American Solar Energy Society

    Science.gov Websites

    serve as vice-chair/chair-elect for two years and then serve a two-year term as chair beginning January and served on the board of directors for two. The Center for Buildings and Thermal Systems evaluates

  12. Noise analysis in professional office chairs.

    PubMed

    Alves, E J W; Filho, J N; Silva, S J; Câmara, J J D

    2012-01-01

    The noise caused by the movement of users on their chairs in the work environment may indicate structural weaknesses and risk, and still significantly reduce productivity by increasing employees stress level. By understanding the activities to be developed in a work place one may understand what should be necessary to a good development, thereafter a search for improvement of labor activity with the aim of better use of resources in the operation of product use may be done. The analysis of the incremental variation of noise in professional chairs aims to identify its origin and the time the emission of noise starts during the period of use, its development and the major causative agents. Determining the characteristics of the sound of different materials and adjustments mechanisms of the chair can determine how different materials interact with each other. The measurement of these noises in an acoustic isolated room using directional microphones, if recorded and analyzed properly makes it possible to investigate and orientate to suspect elements in order to propose solutions and identify the quality of other similar chairs. Based on the results recommendations can be established for the orientation of users, managers and people responsible for the acquisition of the products, inducing them to review the employment of materials and the choice of the processes of production. These aspects are not covered in the Brazilian ergonomics norms and standards in the use of chairs.

  13. Physiological adaptations to interval training and the role of exercise intensity

    PubMed Central

    MacInnis, Martin J.

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Interval exercise typically involves repeated bouts of relatively intense exercise interspersed by short periods of recovery. A common classification scheme subdivides this method into high‐intensity interval training (HIIT; ‘near maximal’ efforts) and sprint interval training (SIT; ‘supramaximal’ efforts). Both forms of interval training induce the classic physiological adaptations characteristic of moderate‐intensity continuous training (MICT) such as increased aerobic capacity (V˙O2 max ) and mitochondrial content. This brief review considers the role of exercise intensity in mediating physiological adaptations to training, with a focus on the capacity for aerobic energy metabolism. With respect to skeletal muscle adaptations, cellular stress and the resultant metabolic signals for mitochondrial biogenesis depend largely on exercise intensity, with limited work suggesting that increases in mitochondrial content are superior after HIIT compared to MICT, at least when matched‐work comparisons are made within the same individual. It is well established that SIT increases mitochondrial content to a similar extent to MICT despite a reduced exercise volume. At the whole‐body level, V˙O2 max is generally increased more by HIIT than MICT for a given training volume, whereas SIT and MICT similarly improve V˙O2 max despite differences in training volume. There is less evidence available regarding the role of exercise intensity in mediating changes in skeletal muscle capillary density, maximum stroke volume and cardiac output, and blood volume. Furthermore, the interactions between intensity and duration and frequency have not been thoroughly explored. While interval training is clearly a potent stimulus for physiological remodelling in humans, the integrative response to this type of exercise warrants further attention, especially in comparison to traditional endurance training. PMID:27748956

  14. Science Instructional Leadership: The Role of the Department Chair

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peacock, Jeremy S.

    2014-01-01

    With science teachers facing comprehensive curriculum reform that will shape science education for decades to come, high school department chairs represent a critical resource for instructional leadership and teacher support. While the historical literature on the department chair indicates that chairs are in prime positions to provide…

  15. Voices from the Field: Perspectives of U.S. Kinesiology Chairs on Opportunities, Challenges, and the Role of Mentoring in the Chair Position

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ransdell, Lynda B.; Nguyen, Nhu; Hums, Mary A.; Clark, Megan; Williams, Sarah B.

    2018-01-01

    This study examined perspectives of U.S. collegiate kinesiology department chairs (n = 54/144; 37.5% response rate) relative to: (a) opportunities and most enjoyable aspects of being a department chair, (b) challenges and least enjoyable aspects of being a department chair, and (c) perspectives on mentoring. The majority of participants enjoyed…

  16. A qualitative study of faculty members' views of women chairs.

    PubMed

    Isaac, Carol; Griffin, Lindsay; Carnes, Molly

    2010-03-01

    Concurrent with the evolving role of the department chair in academic medicine is the entry of women physicians into chair positions. Because implicit biases that stereotypically masculine behaviors are required for effective leadership remain strong, examining faculty members' perceptions of their chair's leadership in medical school departments with women chairs can provide insight into the views of women leaders in academic medicine and the complex ways in which gender may impact these chairs' leadership style and actions. We conducted semistructured interviews with 13 male and 15 female faculty members representing all faculty tracks in three clinical departments chaired by women. Inductive, qualitative analysis of the subsequent text allowed themes to emerge across interviews. Four themes emerged regarding departmental leadership. One dealt with the leadership of the previous chair. The other three described the current chair's characteristics (tough, direct, and transparent), her use of communal actions to help support and mentor her faculty, and her ability to build power through consensus. Because all three chairs were early in their tenure, a wait and see attitude was frequently expressed. Faculty generally viewed having a woman chair as an indication of positive change, with potential individual and institutional advantages. This exploratory study suggests that the culture of academic medicine has moved beyond questioning women physicians' competence to lead once they are in top organizational leadership positions. The findings are also consonant with experimental research indicating that women leaders are most successful when they pair stereotypic male (agentic) behaviors with stereotypic female (communal) behaviors. All three chairs exhibited features of a transformational leadership style and characteristics deemed essential for effective leadership in academic medicine.

  17. A Qualitative Study of Faculty Members' Views of Women Chairs

    PubMed Central

    Isaac, Carol; Griffin, Lindsay

    2010-01-01

    Abstract Background Concurrent with the evolving role of the department chair in academic medicine is the entry of women physicians into chair positions. Because implicit biases that stereotypically masculine behaviors are required for effective leadership remain strong, examining faculty members' perceptions of their chair's leadership in medical school departments with women chairs can provide insight into the views of women leaders in academic medicine and the complex ways in which gender may impact these chairs' leadership style and actions. Methods We conducted semistructured interviews with 13 male and 15 female faculty members representing all faculty tracks in three clinical departments chaired by women. Inductive, qualitative analysis of the subsequent text allowed themes to emerge across interviews. Results Four themes emerged regarding departmental leadership. One dealt with the leadership of the previous chair. The other three described the current chair's characteristics (tough, direct, and transparent), her use of communal actions to help support and mentor her faculty, and her ability to build power through consensus. Because all three chairs were early in their tenure, a wait and see attitude was frequently expressed. Faculty generally viewed having a woman chair as an indication of positive change, with potential individual and institutional advantages. Conclusions This exploratory study suggests that the culture of academic medicine has moved beyond questioning women physicians' competence to lead once they are in top organizational leadership positions. The findings are also consonant with experimental research indicating that women leaders are most successful when they pair stereotypic male (agentic) behaviors with stereotypic female (communal) behaviors. All three chairs exhibited features of a transformational leadership style and characteristics deemed essential for effective leadership in academic medicine. PMID:20156081

  18. 7 CFR 1900.6 - Chair, Loan Resolution Task Force.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 12 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Chair, Loan Resolution Task Force. 1900.6 Section... AGRICULTURE PROGRAM REGULATIONS GENERAL Delegations of Authority § 1900.6 Chair, Loan Resolution Task Force. The Chair, Loan Resolution Task Force is delegated the following authorities, to be exercised until...

  19. 77 FR 18242 - Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board Chairs

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-03-27

    ..., 2012 [cir] EM Program Update [cir] Recognition of Departing Chairs [cir] EM SSAB Chairs' Round Robin... [cir] EM SSAB Chairs' Round Robin: Cross-Complex Issues Thursday, April 19, 2012 [cir] DOE Headquarters...

  20. What a medical school chair wants from the dean

    PubMed Central

    Hromas, Robert; Leverence, Robert; Mramba, Lazarus K; Jameson, J Larry; Lerman, Caryn; Schwenk, Thomas L; Zimmermann, Ellen M; Good, Michael L

    2018-01-01

    Economic pressure has led the evolution of the role of the medical school dean from a clinician educator to a health care system executive. In addition, other dynamic requirements also have likely led to changes in their leadership characteristics. The most important relationship a dean has is with the chairs, yet in the context of the dean’s changing role, little attention has been paid to this relationship. To frame this discussion, we asked medical school chairs what characteristics of a dean’s leadership were most beneficial. We distributed a 26-question survey to 885 clinical and basic science chairs at 41 medical schools. These chairs were confidentially surveyed on their views of six leadership areas: evaluation, barriers to productivity, communication, accountability, crisis management, and organizational values. Of the 491 chairs who responded (response rate =55%), 88% thought that their dean was effective at leading the organization, and 89% enjoyed working with their dean. Chairs indicated that the most important area of expertise of a dean is to define a strategic vision, and the most important value for a dean is integrity between words and deeds. Explaining the reasons behind decisions, providing good feedback, admitting errors, open discussion of complex or awkward topics, and skill in improving relations with the teaching hospital were judged as desirable attributes of a dean. Interestingly, only 23% of chairs want to be a dean in the future. Financial acumen was the least important skill a chair thought a dean should hold, which is in contrast to the skill set for which many deans are hired and evaluated. After reviewing the literature and analyzing these responses, we assert that medical school chairs want their dean to maintain more traditional leadership than that needed by a health care system executive, such as articulating a vision for the future and keeping their promises. Thus, there appears to be a mismatch between what medical school

  1. Secondary School Science Department Chairs Leading Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gaubatz, Julie A.

    2012-01-01

    Secondary school department chairs are content area specialists in their schools and are responsible for providing students with the most appropriate curricula. However, most secondary school department chairs have limited authority to institute change unilaterally (Gmelch, 1993; Hannay & Erb, 1999). To explore how these educational leaders…

  2. Regulated endocytosis of opioid receptors: cellular mechanisms and proposed roles in physiological adaptation to opiate drugs.

    PubMed

    von Zastrow, Mark; Svingos, Adena; Haberstock-Debic, Helena; Evans, Chris

    2003-06-01

    Opiate drugs such as morphine and heroin are among the most effective analgesics known. Prolonged or repeated administration of opiates produces adaptive changes in the nervous system that lead to reduced drug potency or efficacy (tolerance), as well as physiological withdrawal symptoms and behavioral manifestations such as craving when drug use is terminated (dependence). These adaptations limit the therapeutic utility of opiate drugs, particularly in the treatment of chronically painful conditions, and are thought to contribute to the highly addictive nature of opiates. For many years it has been proposed that physiological tolerance to opiate drugs is associated with a modification of the number or functional activity of opioid receptors in specific neurons. We now understand certain mechanisms of opioid receptor desensitization and endocytosis in considerable detail. However, the functional roles that these mechanisms play in the complex physiological adaptation of the intact nervous system to opiates are only beginning to be explored.

  3. Principles of exercise physiology: responses to acute exercise and long-term adaptations to training.

    PubMed

    Rivera-Brown, Anita M; Frontera, Walter R

    2012-11-01

    Physical activity and fitness are associated with a lower prevalence of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and diabetes. This review discusses the body's response to an acute bout of exercise and long-term physiological adaptations to exercise training with an emphasis on endurance exercise. An overview is provided of skeletal muscle actions, muscle fiber types, and the major metabolic pathways involved in energy production. The importance of adequate fluid intake during exercise sessions to prevent impairments induced by dehydration on endurance exercise, muscular power, and strength is discussed. Physiological adaptations that result from regular exercise training such as increases in cardiorespiratory capacity and strength are mentioned. The review emphasizes the cardiovascular and metabolic adaptations that lead to improvements in maximal oxygen capacity. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Attitudes toward retirement of ophthalmology department chairs.

    PubMed

    Dodds, David W; Cruz, Oscar A; Israel, Heidi

    2013-07-01

    To identify common perceptions and ideas about preparation and planning for retirement of chairs of academic departments of ophthalmology, determining areas of particular stress and proposing ways to better prepare for retirement. Cross-sectional study. One-hundred sixteen chairs of academic departments of ophthalmology in the United States. A confidential online survey emailed to ophthalmology chairs. Surveys assessed demographics; current work schedule; perceptions, preparation, and planning for retirement; and retirement training for faculty and residents. Ninety-six department chairs responded to the survey (82% response rate). Most chairs anticipate retiring around age 70. Significantly, only 9% are looking forward to retirement. Reasons for delaying retirement include keeping active (37%), income/insurance/benefits (20%), and maintaining lifestyle (17%). The most common concern is financing retirement (46%). Forty percent anticipate their reason for retirement will be because of age or health, whereas 20% anticipate fatigue or burnout. Nearly half of the respondents have no specific plan upon retirement. Most respondents anticipate pursuing other interests (43%); 32% intend to spend time with family, vacationing, and travelling. Younger respondents are more concerned with the financial aspects of retirement while more senior respondents appear to delay retirement to keep active or because they enjoy their work. Retirement is a source of stress for many ophthalmology department chairs and many indicate financial preparation is their major concern. Despite this, the major reason for putting off retirement is a desire to keep active. Developing a retirement plan eases stress and engenders a feeling of confidence about the future. Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. The Strategic Value of Succession Planning for Department Chairs.

    PubMed

    Rayburn, William; Grigsby, Kevin; Brubaker, Linda

    2016-04-01

    Most faculty who aspire to be department chairs are unaware of succession processes at their institution. This Commentary highlights the importance of succession planning, emphasizing the general need for transparency. Succession planning provides institutional leaders the opportunity to optimize, renew, and revitalize their organization by ensuring successful leadership transitions. In contrast to leadership pathways in the military, corporate business, and hospital administration, planned succession of medical school department chairs has received little attention. Different approaches to succession planning are essential for emergency and planned transitions. Emergency succession plans should be in place at all times, regularly revisited, and modified as needed. Department chairs should begin considering their planned succession between one and five years after their initial appointment. The succession discussion between a chair and medical school dean requires cautious, thoughtful, and open discussions. Intradepartmental annual faculty performance evaluations permit the chair to mentor potential successors in acquiring future-oriented, institution-based leadership qualities necessary to be considered for a future department chair position. If health and time permit, the successful chair should remain in his or her current position until a successor is named or, preferably, is in place. Appointment of an interim chair as part of succession planning can be useful for on-the-job training of an internal candidate, yet awkwardness might ensue if there is more than one internal candidate.Succession development offers the great advantage of maintaining smooth organizational performance while optimizing talent management and exploring opportunities for transitioning individuals into leadership roles.

  6. High sustained +Gz acceleration: physiological adaptation to high-G tolerance

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Convertino, V. A.

    1998-01-01

    Since the early 1940s, a significant volume of research has been conducted in an effort to describe the impact of acute exposures to high-G acceleration on cardiovascular mechanisms responsible to maintaining cerebral perfusion and conscious in high performance aircraft pilots during aerial combat maneuvers. The value of understanding hemodynamic characteristics that underlie G-induced loss of consciousness has been instrumental in the evolution of optimal technology development (e.g., G-suits, positive pressure breathing, COMBAT EDGE, etc.) and pilot training (e.g., anti-G straining maneuvers). Although the emphasis of research has been placed on the development of protection against acute high +Gz acceleration effects, recent observations suggest that adaptation of cardiovascular mechanism associated with blood pressure regulation may contribute to a protective 'G-training' effect. Regular training at high G enhances G tolerance in humans, rats, guinea pigs, and dogs while prolonged layoff from exposure in high G profiles (G-layoff) can result in reduced G endurance. It seems probable that adaptations in physiological functions following chronically-repeated high G exposure (G training) or G-layoff could have significant impacts on performance during sustained high-G acceleration since protective technology such as G-suits and anit-G straining maneuvers are applied consistently during these periods of training. The purpose of this paper is to present a review of new data from three experiments that support the notion that repeated exposure on a regular basis to high sustained +Gz acceleration induces significant physiological adaptations which are associated with improved blood pressure regulation and subsequent protection of cerebral perfusion during orthostatic challenges.

  7. Leading Learning: Science Departments and the Chair

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Melville, Wayne; Campbell, Todd; Jones, Doug

    2016-01-01

    In this article, we have considered the role of the chair in leading the learning necessary for a department to become effective in the teaching and learning of science from a reformed perspective. We conceptualize the phrase "leading learning" to mean the chair's constitution of influence, power, and authority to intentionally impact…

  8. Job satisfaction among chairs of surgery from Europe and North America.

    PubMed

    Tschuor, Christoph; Raptis, Dimitri Aristotle; Morf, Manuela Christina; Staffelbach, Bruno; Manser, Tanja; Clavien, Pierre-Alain

    2014-11-01

    Strong evidence exists associating job satisfaction and risk of burnout with productivity, efficiency, and creativity in many organizations. However no data are available assessing chairs of surgery. This study assessed job satisfaction and risk for burnout of surgical chairs from Europe and North America and identified contributing factors. A survey among 650 chairs in surgery from 23 European and 2 North American countries was conducted in 2012. Satisfaction at work was analyzed using the validated Global Job Satisfaction (GJS) instrument and the abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory. Additional items targeting personal and environmental factors were included. The rate of chairs reached successfully was 86%, the overall response rate was 29% (188/650), with 1% female. Median age was 58 years. 11% of chairs were dissatisfied with work. Younger age and being fewer years in practice as a chair was associated with higher job satisfaction (P = .054 and P = .003). Surgical specialty with the greatest median GJS score was hepatopancreatobiliary, whereas vascular surgery scored lowest. Chairs desire to devote 20% more of their time on research. Clerical support as well as the ability to be innovative was suggested by 51% and 45%, respectively, to improve job satisfaction. Compared with Europeans, North American chairs were overall more satisfied and would recommend their job to their children. North American chairs seem to be more satisfied at work and at less risk for burnout than European chairs. The overall job satisfaction was greater among chairs compared with previously published reports of young, board-certified surgeons or residents (89% vs 87% and 66%, respectively). The superior satisfaction in chairs is strongest related to career achievements, innovation, and lifestyle. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Informed consent and genomic incidental findings: IRB chair perspectives.

    PubMed

    Simon, Christian M; Williams, Janet K; Shinkunas, Laura; Brandt, Debra; Daack-Hirsch, Sandra; Driessnack, Martha

    2011-12-01

    It is unclear how genomic incidental finding (GIF) prospects should be addressed in informed consent processes. An exploratory study on this topic was conducted with 34 purposively sampled Chairs of institutional review boards (IRBs) at centers conducting genome-wide association studies. Most Chairs (96%) reported no knowledge of local IRB requirements regarding GIFs and informed consent. Chairs suggested consent processes should address the prospect of, and study disclosure policy on, GIFs; GIF management and follow-up; potential clinical significance of GIFs; potential risks of GIF disclosure; an opportunity for participants to opt out of GIF disclosure; and duration of the researcher's duty to disclose GIFs. Chairs were concerned about participant disclosure preferences changing over time; inherent limitations in determining the scope and accuracy of claims about GIFs; and making consent processes longer and more complex. IRB Chair and other stakeholder perspectives can help advance informed consent efforts to accommodate GIF prospects.

  10. A pilot investigation into the effects of different office chairs on spinal angles.

    PubMed

    Annetts, S; Coales, P; Colville, R; Mistry, D; Moles, K; Thomas, B; van Deursen, R

    2012-05-01

    To investigate the effects of four office chairs on the postural angles of the lumbopelvic and cervical regions. Which chair(s) produce an "ideal" spinal posture? An experimental same subject design was used involving healthy subjects (n = 14) who conducted a typing task whilst sitting on four different office chairs; two "dynamic" chairs (Vari-Kneeler and Swopper), and two static chairs (Saddle and Standard Office with back removed). Data collection was via digital photogrammetry, measuring pelvic and lumbar angles, neck angle and head tilt which were then analysed within MatLab. A repeated measures ANOVA with Bonferroni corrections for multiple comparisons was conducted. Statistically significant differences were identified for posterior pelvic tilt and lumbar lordosis between the Vari-Kneeler and Swopper chairs (p = 0.006, p = 0.001) and the Vari-Kneeler and Standard Office chairs (p = 0.000, 0.000); and also for neck angle and head tilt between the Vari-Kneeler and Swopper chairs (p = 0.000, p = 0.000), the Vari-Kneeler and Saddle chairs (p = 0.002, p = 0.001), the Standard Office and Swopper chairs (p = 0.000, p = 0.000), and the Standard Office and Saddle chairs (p = 0.005, p = 0.001). This study confirms a within region association between posterior pelvic tilt and lumbar lordosis, and between neck angle and head tilt. It was noted that an ideal lumbopelvic position does not always result in a corresponding ideal cervical position resulting in a spinal alignment mismatch. In this study, the most appropriate posture for the lumbopelvic region was produced by the Saddle chair and for the cervical region by both the Saddle and Swopper chairs. No chair consistently produced an ideal posture across all regions, although the Saddle chair created the best posture of those chairs studied. Chair selection should be based on individual need.

  11. AACP Strategy for Addressing the Professional Development Needs of Department Chairs

    PubMed Central

    Rodriguez, Tobias E.; Weinstein, George; Sorofman, Bernard A.; Bosso, John A.; Kerr, Robert A.; Haden, N. Karl

    2012-01-01

    Objectives. Characterize the skills and abilities required for department chairs, identify development needs, and then create AACP professional development programs for chairs. Methods. A 30-question electronic survey was sent to AACP member department chairs related to aspects of chairing an academic department. Results. The survey identified development needs in the leadership, management, and personal abilities required for effective performance as department chair. The information was used to prioritize topics for subsequent AACP development programs. Subsequent programs conducted at AACP Interim and Annual Meetings were well attended and generally received favorable reviews from participants. A list of development resources was placed on the AACP website. Conclusions. This ongoing initiative is part of an AACP strategy to identify and address the professional development needs of department chairs. Survey results may also inform faculty members and other academic leaders about the roles and responsibilities of department chairs. PMID:22919099

  12. Informed Consent and Genomic Incidental Findings: IRB Chair Perspectives

    PubMed Central

    Simon, Christian M.; Williams, Janet K.; Shinkunas, Laura; Brandt, Debra; Daack-Hirsch, Sandra; Driessnack, Martha

    2013-01-01

    It is unclear how genomic incidental finding (GIF) prospects should be addressed in informed consent processes. An exploratory study on this topic was conducted with 34 purposively sampled Chairs of institutional review boards (IRBs) at centers conducting genome-wide association studies. Most Chairs (96%) reported no knowledge of local IRB requirements regarding GIFs and informed consent. Chairs suggested consent processes should address the prospect of, and study disclosure policy on, GIFs; GIF management and follow-up; potential clinical significance of GIFs; potential risks of GIF disclosure; an opportunity for participants to opt out of GIF disclosure; and duration of the researcher's duty to disclose GIFs. Chairs were concerned about participant disclosure preferences changing over time; inherent limitations in determining the scope and accuracy of claims about GIFs; and making consent processes longer and more complex. IRB Chair and other stakeholder perspectives can help advance informed consent efforts to accommodate GIF prospects. PMID:22228060

  13. Burnout in United States Academic Chairs of Radiation Oncology Programs

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

    Kusano, Aaron S.; Thomas, Charles R., E-mail: thomasch@ohsu.edu; Bonner, James A.

    Purpose: The aims of this study were to determine the self-reported prevalence of burnout in chairs of academic radiation oncology departments, to identify factors contributing to burnout, and to compare the prevalence of burnout with that seen in other academic chair groups. Methods and Materials: An anonymous online survey was administered to the membership of the Society of Chairs of Academic Radiation Oncology Programs (SCAROP). Burnout was measured with the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS). Results: Questionnaires were returned from 66 of 87 chairs (76% response rate). Seventy-nine percent of respondents reported satisfaction with their current positions. Common majormore » stressors were budget deficits and human resource issues. One-quarter of chairs reported that it was at least moderately likely that they would step down in the next 1 to 2 years; these individuals demonstrated significantly higher emotional exhaustion. Twenty-five percent of respondents met the MBI-HSS criteria for low burnout, 75% for moderate burnout, and none for high burnout. Group MBI-HSS subscale scores demonstrated a pattern of moderate emotional exhaustion, low depersonalization, and moderate personal accomplishment, comparing favorably with other specialties. Conclusions: This is the first study of burnout in radiation oncology chairs with a high response rate and using a validated psychometric tool. Radiation oncology chairs share similar major stressors to other chair groups, but they demonstrate relatively high job satisfaction and lower burnout. Emotional exhaustion may contribute to the anticipated turnover in coming years. Further efforts addressing individual and institutional factors associated with burnout may improve the relationship with work of chairs and other department members.« less

  14. Physiological, behavioral and biochemical adaptations of intertidal fishes to hypoxia.

    PubMed

    Richards, Jeffrey G

    2011-01-15

    Hypoxia survival in fish requires a well-coordinated response to either secure more O(2) from the hypoxic environment or to limit the metabolic consequences of an O(2) restriction at the mitochondria. Although there is a considerable amount of information available on the physiological, behavioral, biochemical and molecular responses of fish to hypoxia, very little research has attempted to determine the adaptive value of these responses. This article will review current attempts to use the phylogenetically corrected comparative method to define physiological and behavioral adaptations to hypoxia in intertidal fish and further identify putatively adaptive biochemical traits that should be investigated in the future. In a group of marine fishes known as sculpins, from the family Cottidae, variation in hypoxia tolerance, measured as a critical O(2) tension (P(crit)), is primarily explained by variation in mass-specific gill surface area, red blood cell hemoglobin-O(2) binding affinity, and to a lesser extent variation in routine O(2) consumption rate (M(O(2))). The most hypoxia-tolerant sculpins consistently show aquatic surface respiration (ASR) and aerial emergence behavior during hypoxia exposure, but no phylogenetically independent relationship has been found between the thresholds for initiating these behaviors and P(crit). At O(2) levels below P(crit), hypoxia survival requires a rapid reorganization of cellular metabolism to suppress ATP consumption to match the limited capacity for O(2)-independent ATP production. Thus, it is reasonable to speculate that the degree of metabolic rate suppression and the quantity of stored fermentable fuel is strongly selected for in hypoxia-tolerant fishes; however, these assertions have not been tested in a phylogenetic comparative model.

  15. Tenure of academic chairs in obstetrics and gynecology: a 25-year perspective.

    PubMed

    Rayburn, William F; Schrader, Ronald M; Cain, Joanna M; Artal, Raul; Anderson, Garland D; Merkatz, Irwin R

    2006-11-01

    To assist in predicting future leadership needs, this longitudinal study examines turnover and net retention rates among chairs at university obstetrics and gynecology departments between 1981 and 2005. A database of appointment dates and tenure of chairs at each of 125 Association of American Medical Colleges-approved United States medical schools was collated using membership listings from the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics and from the Council of University Chairs in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Complete data from 118 departments were confirmed by selective correspondence at individual departments and further review by the investigators. A total of 260 individuals (232 men, 28 women) became new chairs between 1981 and 2005. The annual turnover rate increased gradually from 6.0% to 12.7%. Five-year net retention rates remained steady between 1982 and 1997 but dropped after 1997 (85.6% compared with 63.2%; P=.03). A chair's tenure ranged widely (1 to 23 years; median 8 years), regardless of gender or school type, size, or location. Approximately one half of interim chairs became permanent chairs, usually at their own institution. The number of new women chairs increased from none in 1981 to 17 (15.2% of total chairs) in 2005. Academic chair positions in obstetrics and gynecology experienced a doubling in annual turnover rates, while retention rates declined. The proportion of chairs occupied by women increased progressively. II-2.

  16. Space Physiology within an Exercise Physiology Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carter, Jason R.; West, John B.

    2013-01-01

    Compare and contrast strategies remain common pedagogical practices within physiological education. With the support of an American Physiological Society Teaching Career Enhancement Award, we have developed a junior- or senior-level undergraduate curriculum for exercise physiology that compares and contrasts the physiological adaptations of…

  17. Match and mismatch: conservation physiology, nutritional ecology and the timescales of biological adaptation

    PubMed Central

    Raubenheimer, David; Simpson, Stephen J.; Tait, Alice H.

    2012-01-01

    Conservation physiology (CP) and nutritional ecology (NE) are both integrative sciences that share the fundamental aim of understanding the patterns, mechanisms and consequences of animal responses to changing environments. Here, we explore the high-level similarities and differences between CP and NE, identifying as central themes to both fields the multiple timescales over which animals adapt (and fail to adapt) to their environments, and the need for integrative models to study these processes. At one extreme are the short-term regulatory responses that modulate the state of animals in relation to the environment, which are variously considered under the concepts of homeostasis, homeorhesis, enantiostasis, heterostasis and allostasis. In the longer term are developmental responses, including phenotypic plasticity and transgenerational effects mediated by non-genomic influences such as parental physiology, epigenetic effects and cultural learning. Over a longer timescale still are the cumulative genetic changes that take place in Darwinian evolution. We present examples showing how the adaptive responses of animals across these timescales have been represented in an integrative framework from NE, the geometric framework (GF) for nutrition, and close with an illustration of how GF can be applied to the central issue in CP, animal conservation. PMID:22566672

  18. Match and mismatch: conservation physiology, nutritional ecology and the timescales of biological adaptation.

    PubMed

    Raubenheimer, David; Simpson, Stephen J; Tait, Alice H

    2012-06-19

    Conservation physiology (CP) and nutritional ecology (NE) are both integrative sciences that share the fundamental aim of understanding the patterns, mechanisms and consequences of animal responses to changing environments. Here, we explore the high-level similarities and differences between CP and NE, identifying as central themes to both fields the multiple timescales over which animals adapt (and fail to adapt) to their environments, and the need for integrative models to study these processes. At one extreme are the short-term regulatory responses that modulate the state of animals in relation to the environment, which are variously considered under the concepts of homeostasis, homeorhesis, enantiostasis, heterostasis and allostasis. In the longer term are developmental responses, including phenotypic plasticity and transgenerational effects mediated by non-genomic influences such as parental physiology, epigenetic effects and cultural learning. Over a longer timescale still are the cumulative genetic changes that take place in Darwinian evolution. We present examples showing how the adaptive responses of animals across these timescales have been represented in an integrative framework from NE, the geometric framework (GF) for nutrition, and close with an illustration of how GF can be applied to the central issue in CP, animal conservation.

  19. In Vivo Spinal Posture during Upright and Reclined Sitting in an Office Chair

    PubMed Central

    Zemp, Roland; Taylor, William R.; Lorenzetti, Silvio

    2013-01-01

    Increasing numbers of people spend the majority of their working lives seated in an office chair. Musculoskeletal disorders, in particular low back pain, resulting from prolonged static sitting are ubiquitous, but regularly changing sitting position throughout the day is thought to reduce back problems. Nearly all currently available office chairs offer the possibility to alter the backrest reclination angles, but the influence of changing seating positions on the spinal column remains unknown. In an attempt to better understand the potential to adjust or correct spine posture using adjustable seating, five healthy subjects were analysed in an upright and reclined sitting position conducted in an open, upright MRI scanner. The shape of the spine, as described using the vertebral bodies' coordinates, wedge angles, and curvature angles, showed high inter-subject variability between the two seating positions. The mean lumbar, thoracic, and cervical curvature angles were 29 ± 15°, −29 ± 4°, and 13 ± 8° for the upright and 33 ± 12°, −31 ± 7°, and 7 ± 7° for the reclined sitting positions. Thus, a wide range of seating adaptation is possible through modification of chair posture, and dynamic seating options may therefore provide a key feature in reducing or even preventing back pain caused by prolonged static sitting. PMID:24175307

  20. Differential and Conditional Activation of PKC-Isoforms Dictates Cardiac Adaptation during Physiological to Pathological Hypertrophy

    PubMed Central

    Naskar, Shaon; Datta, Kaberi; Mitra, Arkadeep; Pathak, Kanchan; Datta, Ritwik; Bansal, Trisha; Sarkar, Sagartirtha

    2014-01-01

    A cardiac hypertrophy is defined as an increase in heart mass which may either be beneficial (physiological hypertrophy) or detrimental (pathological hypertrophy). This study was undertaken to establish the role of different protein kinase-C (PKC) isoforms in the regulation of cardiac adaptation during two types of cardiac hypertrophy. Phosphorylation of specific PKC-isoforms and expression of their downstream proteins were studied during physiological and pathological hypertrophy in 24 week male Balb/c mice (Mus musculus) models, by reverse transcriptase-PCR, western blot analysis and M-mode echocardiography for cardiac function analysis. PKC-δ was significantly induced during pathological hypertrophy while PKC-α was exclusively activated during physiological hypertrophy in our study. PKC-δ activation during pathological hypertrophy resulted in cardiomyocyte apoptosis leading to compromised cardiac function and on the other hand, activation of PKC-α during physiological hypertrophy promoted cardiomyocyte growth but down regulated cellular apoptotic load resulting in improved cardiac function. Reversal in PKC-isoform with induced activation of PKC-δ and simultaneous inhibition of phospho-PKC-α resulted in an efficient myocardium to deteriorate considerably resulting in compromised cardiac function during physiological hypertrophy via augmentation of apoptotic and fibrotic load. This is the first report where PKC-α and -δ have been shown to play crucial role in cardiac adaptation during physiological and pathological hypertrophy respectively thereby rendering compromised cardiac function to an otherwise efficient heart by conditional reversal of their activation. PMID:25116170

  1. Influence of Chair Vibrations on Indoor Sonic Boom Annoyance

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rathsam, Jonathan; Klos, Jacob; Loubeau, Alexandra

    2015-01-01

    One goal of NASA’s Commercial Supersonic Technology Project is to identify candidate noise metrics suitable for regulating quiet sonic boom aircraft. A suitable metric must consider the short duration and pronounced low frequency content of sonic booms. For indoor listeners, rattle and creaking sounds and floor and chair vibrations may also be important. The current study examined the effect of such vibrations on the annoyance of test subjects seated indoors. The study involved two chairs exposed to nearly identical acoustic levels: one placed directly on the floor, and the other isolated from floor vibrations by pneumatic elastomeric mounts. All subjects experienced both chairs, sitting in one chair for the first half of the experiment and the other chair for the remaining half. Each half of the experiment consisted of 80 impulsive noises played at the exterior of the sonic boom simulator. When all annoyance ratings were analyzed together there appeared to be no difference in mean annoyance with isolation condition. When the apparent effect of transfer bias was removed, a subtle but measurable effect of vibration on annoyance was identified.

  2. Patients' choice of portable folding chairs to reduce symptoms of orthostatic hypotension

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smit, A. A.; Wieling, W.; Opfer-Gehrking, T. L.; van Emmerik-Levelt, H. M.; Low, P. A.

    1999-01-01

    Patients with neurogenic orthostatic hypotension may use portable folding chairs to prevent or reduce symptoms of low blood pressure. However, a concomitant movement disorder may limit the use of these chairs in daily living. In this prospective study, 13 patients with orthostatic hypotension, balance disturbance associated with motor disability, or both examined three commercially available portable folding chairs. A questionnaire was used to document the characteristics in chair design that were relevant for satisfactory use to these patients. Armrests, seat width, and an adjustable sitting height were found to be important features of a portable folding chair. One chair was selected by 11 of 13 patients to fit most needs.

  3. Process- and controller-adaptations determine the physiological effects of cold acclimation.

    PubMed

    Werner, Jürgen

    2008-09-01

    Experimental results on physiological effects of cold adaptation seem confusing and apparently incompatible with one another. This paper will explain that a substantial part of such a variety of results may be deduced from a common functional concept. A core/shell treatment ("model") of the thermoregulatory system is used with mean body temperature as the controlled variable. Adaptation, as a higher control level, is introduced into the system. Due to persistent stressors, either the (heat transfer) process or the controller properties (parameters) are adjusted (or both). It is convenient to call the one "process adaptation" and the other "controller adaptation". The most commonly demonstrated effect of autonomic cold acclimation is a change in the controller threshold. The analysis shows that this necessarily means a lowering of body temperature because of a lowered metabolic rate. This explains experimental results on both Europeans in the climatic chamber and Australian Aborigines in a natural environment. Exclusive autonomic process adaptation occurs in the form of a better insulation. The analysis explains why the post-adaptive steady-state can only be achieved, if the controller system reduces metabolism and why in spite of this the new state is inevitably characterized by a rise in body temperature. If both process and controller adaptations are simultaneously present, there may be not any change of body temperature at all, e.g., as demonstrated in animal experiments. Whether this kind of adaptation delivers a decrease, an increase or no change of mean body temperature, depends on the proportion of process and controller adaptation.

  4. [Understanding chair-side digital technology for stomatology from an engineering viewpoint].

    PubMed

    Zhao, Y J; Wang, Y

    2018-04-09

    In recent years with the rapid development of digital technology for stomatology, the application field, application model, technical features and technical connotation of the chair-side digital technology has got development and change. The open modular system has gradually replaced the traditional closed system, and the application field of digital technology is no longer limited to chair-side dental restoration, it also has been extend to various kinds of chair-side digital treatment-assisted technology. In this paper, from the engineering point of view, the up to date general connotation of chair-side digital technology was explained, the characteristics and the development of each unit in chair-side digital technology were analyzed, and the application pattern and the localization status were also discussed in this paper. The aim of this paper was to introduce the trend of chair-side digital technological to readers and to better guide clinical application.

  5. Why aren't there more women leaders in academic medicine? the views of clinical department chairs.

    PubMed

    Yedidia, M J; Bickel, J

    2001-05-01

    A scarcity of women in leadership positions in academic medicine has persisted despite their increasing numbers in medical training. To understand the barriers confronting women and potential remedies, clinical department chairs with extensive leadership experience were interviewed. In 1998-99, open-ended interviews averaging 80 minutes in length were conducted with 34 chairs and two division chiefs in five specialties. Individuals were selected to achieve a balance for gender, geographic locale, longevity in their positions, and sponsorship and research intensity of their institutions. The interviews were audiotaped and fully transcribed, and the themes reported emerged from inductive analysis of the responses using standard qualitative techniques. The chairs' responses centered on the constraints of traditional gender roles, manifestations of sexism in the medical environment, and lack of effective mentors. Their strategies for addressing these barriers ranged from individual or one-on-one interventions (e.g., counseling, confronting instances of bias, and arranging for appropriate mentors) to institutional changes (e.g., extending tenure probationary periods, instituting mechanisms for responding to unprofessional behavior, establishing mentoring networks across the university). The chairs universally acknowledged the existence of barriers to the advancement of women and proposed a spectrum of approaches to address them. Individual interventions, while adapting faculty to requirements, also tend to preserve existing institutional arrangements, including those that may have adverse effects on all faculty. Departmental or school-level changes address these shortcomings and have a greater likelihood of achieving enduring impact.

  6. Executive onboarding: ensuring the success of the newly hired department chair.

    PubMed

    Ross, Warren E; Huang, Karen H C; Jones, Greg H

    2014-05-01

    The success of newly recruited medical school department chairs has become increasingly important for achievement of organizational goals. An effective onboarding program for these chairs can greatly facilitate early success, as well as satisfaction of the new hire with the position and the school. Onboarding programs can include traditional orientation items such as payroll signup and parking details, but should focus heavily on sharing organizational structure, culture, and how things get done. The goals of onboarding will be well served by implementation of three roles in the process. An Orientation Navigator can assist the new chair in the orientation phase, completing new employee documents and navigating the day-to-day challenges of working at the location. A Peer Mentor, generally a sitting chair, serves as both "buddy" and mentor, providing moral support as well as ensuring that the new chair gains an understanding of the people and processes important for getting things done. A Transition Mentor serves over a longer term as a sounding board and coach outside the peer group, assisting in a variety of ways to promote the chair's growth, development, and success as a leader. Finally, any onboarding process is significantly compromised without the active participation of the dean, meeting regularly with the chair to clarify expectations, promote assimilation, and solve problems. Successful onboarding begins with a mindfulness of the needs of the newly hired chair, and a well-designed and well-implemented plan will have wide-ranging benefits for the chair and the organization.

  7. Exploring physiological plasticity and local thermal adaptation in an intertidal crab along a latitudinal cline.

    PubMed

    Gaitán-Espitia, Juan Diego; Bacigalupe, Leonardo D; Opitz, Tania; Lagos, Nelson A; Osores, Sebastián; Lardies, Marco A

    2017-08-01

    Intertidal organisms have evolved physiological mechanisms that enable them to maintain performance and survive during periods of severe environmental stress with temperatures close to their tolerance limits. The level of these adaptive responses in thermal physiology can vary among populations of broadly distributed species depending on their particular environmental context and genetic backgrounds. Here we examined thermal performances and reaction norms for metabolic rate (MR) and heart rate (HR) of seven populations of the porcelanid crab Petrolisthes violaceus from markedly different thermal environments across the latitudinal gradient of ~3000km. Physiological responses of this intertidal crab under common-garden conditions suggest the absence of local thermal adaptation along the geographic gradient (i.e., lack of latitudinal compensation). Moreover, thermal physiological sensitivities and performances in response to increased temperatures evidenced the existence of some level of: i) metabolic rate control or depression during warm temperature exposures; and ii) homeostasis/canalization (i.e., absence or low levels of plasticity) in physiological traits that may reflect some sort of buffering mechanism in most of the populations. Nevertheless, our results indicate that elevated temperatures can reduce cardiac function but not metabolic rate in high latitude crabs. The lack of congruence between HR and MR supports the idea that energy metabolism in marine invertebrates cannot be inferred from HR and different conclusions regarding geographic differentiation in energy metabolism can be obtained from both physiological traits. Integrating thermal physiology and species range extent can contribute to a better understanding of the likely effects of climate change on natural populations of marine ectotherms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. High School Department Chairs--Perspectives on Instructional Supervision

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zepeda, Sally J.; Kruskamp, Bill

    2007-01-01

    A case study approach was used to examine the perspectives of three high school department chairs and their work at providing instructional supervision to the teachers in their departments: math, science, and social studies. We sought to discover the beliefs and practices of three department chairs in one high school, located in a southeastern…

  9. The Hot Seat: Profiling the Marketing Department Chair

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aggarwal, Praveen; Rochford, Linda; Vaidyanathan, Rajiv

    2009-01-01

    The chair of the marketing department serves a critical role in balancing the needs of the university with those of the faculty. Because most department chairs are drawn from the faculty in their departments, the administrative role they take on conflicts with their desire to maintain their academic roles as teacher and researcher. Although there…

  10. Leadership experiences and characteristics of chairs of academic departments of psychiatry.

    PubMed

    Keith, Samuel J; Buckley, Peter F

    2011-01-01

    Effective leadership in academic medicine requires a broad constellation of skills, experiences, and core values. The authors sought to describe and define these. The authors conducted a web-based survey among 132 Chairs of North American departments of psychiatry. Eighty-five Chairs (64%) responded to the survey, the majority of whom were first-time Chairs. Identified leadership attributes included strategic/visionary acumen, interpersonal communication skills, core administrative and academic/technical skills, motivational capacity, personal integrity, and altruism/tenacity. The identified values are consistent with the leadership attributes that are described as necessary for success in the business community. Developing the required skill-set among faculty who aspire to become a departmental Chair is an important commitment for Deans and extant psychiatry Chairs. Copyright © 2011 Academic Psychiatry

  11. Cycling chair: a novel vehicle for the lower limbs disabled

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takahashi, Takayuki; Nishiyyama, Yuuki; Ozawa, Yukiko; Nakano, Eiji; Handa, Yasunobu

    2005-12-01

    The goal of our research is to develop a practical vehicle for lower limbs disabled to improve their mobility and health. The most significant mechanical character of the proposed vehicle is that it is driven by the lower limbs of the disabled themselves. We call it as Cycling Chair. Disuse of the lower limbs leads many subsidiary issues on health, deteriorating the whole-body circulation, it is the most serious problem, cases so-called the disuse syndrome. The proposed Cycling Chair solves those problems by using the leg-driven mechanism. In this paper, the mechanism of the Cycling Chair and the way to drive the chair by paraplegics are discussed. Some experimental results are also presented.

  12. Women chairs in academic medicine: engendering strategic intuition

    PubMed Central

    Isaac, Carol; Griffin, Lindsay

    2017-01-01

    Purpose Because stereotypically masculine behaviors are required for effective leadership, examining female chairs’ leadership in academic medicine can provide insight into the complex ways in which gender impacts on their leadership practices. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach The author interviewed three female clinical chairs and compared the findings to interviews with 28 of their faculty. Grounded theory analysis of the subsequent text gathered comprehensive, systematic, and in-depth information about this case of interest at a US top-tier academic medical center. Findings Four of five themes from the faculty were consistent with the chair’s narrative with modifications: Prior Environment (Motivated by Excellence), Tough, Direct, Transparent (Developing Trust), Communal Actions (Creating Diversity of Opinion), and Building Power through Consensus (an “Artful Exercise”) with an additional theme, the Significance (and Insignificance) of a Female Chair. While faculty members were acutely aware of the chair’s gender, the chairs paradoxically vacillated between gender being a “non-issue” and noting that male chairs “don’t do laundry.” All three female chairs in this study independently and explicitly stated that gender was not a barrier, yet intuitively used successful strategies derived from the research literature. Originality/value This study suggests that while their gender was highlighted by faculty, these women dismissed gender as a “non-issue.” The duality of gender for these three female leaders was both minimized and subtly affirmed. PMID:26045192

  13. A smart health monitoring chair for nonintrusive measurement of biological signals.

    PubMed

    Baek, Hyun Jae; Chung, Gih Sung; Kim, Ko Keun; Park, Kwang Suk

    2012-01-01

    We developed nonintrusive methods for simultaneous electrocardiogram, photoplethysmogram, and ballistocardiogram measurements that do not require direct contact between instruments and bare skin. These methods were applied to the design of a diagnostic chair for unconstrained heart rate and blood pressure monitoring purposes. Our methods were operationalized through capacitively coupled electrodes installed in the chair back that include high-input impedance amplifiers, and conductive textiles installed in the seat for capacitive driven-right-leg circuit configuration that is capable of recording electrocardiogram information through clothing. Photoplethysmograms were measured through clothing using seat mounted sensors with specially designed amplifier circuits that vary in light intensity according to clothing type. Ballistocardiograms were recorded using a film type transducer material, polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF), which was installed beneath the seat cover. By simultaneously measuring signals, beat-to-beat heart rates could be monitored even when electrocardiograms were not recorded due to movement artifacts. Beat-to-beat blood pressure was also monitored using unconstrained measurements of pulse arrival time and other physiological parameters, and our experimental results indicated that the estimated blood pressure tended to coincide with actual blood pressure measurements. This study demonstrates the feasibility of our method and device for biological signal monitoring through clothing for unconstrained long-term daily health monitoring that does not require user awareness and is not limited by physical activity.

  14. Chairing a Small Department.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bowker, Lee H.; Lynch, David M.

    Ten management problems for chairs of small departments in small colleges are discussed, along with problem-solving strategies for these administrators. Serious disagreements within a small and intimate department may create a country club culture in which differences are smoothed over and the personal idiosyncrasies of individual members are…

  15. Demographic and Personal Characteristics of Male and Female Chairs in Academic Psychiatry.

    PubMed

    Doyle, Marley; Pederson, Aderonke; Meltzer-Brody, Samantha

    2016-06-01

    Despite the strong representation of female psychiatrists in residency and early-career positions, the number of female faculty sharply decreases in tenured or executive leadership positions. Why there exists a marked change in representation at the level of senior leadership within academic psychiatry is unclear. The authors investigated the causative factors contributing to this observation and gathered information about the personal characteristics of women in executive leadership roles. The authors surveyed psychiatry chairs at academic institutions. They identified all female chairs and randomly selected a group of male chairs to serve as a control group. The survey assessed perceived barriers, strengths, and weaknesses and differences in demographics and leadership styles between female and male chairs. Ten percent of psychiatry chairs were female. Male chairs were more likely than female chairs to head large departments (p = 0.02, confidence interval (CI) -17.1-69.1) and had a higher H-index (p = 0.001, CI 6.6-37.2). Female chairs were more likely than male chairs to perceive barriers in their career development (p = 0.01, CI 0.7-2.2), citing little or no mentorship (p = 0.04), gender discrimination (p = 0.0001), and family obligations (p = 0.001) more often. Academic institutions must incorporate programs to decrease barriers and work to achieve equitable representation of women in upper-level leadership positions. Moreover, academic medicine must evolve to cultivate a family-friendly environment that successfully supports both genders.

  16. Behavioural and physiological adaptations to low-temperature environments in the common frog, Rana temporaria.

    PubMed

    Muir, Anna P; Biek, Roman; Mable, Barbara K

    2014-05-23

    Extreme environments can impose strong ecological and evolutionary pressures at a local level. Ectotherms are particularly sensitive to low-temperature environments, which can result in a reduced activity period, slowed physiological processes and increased exposure to sub-zero temperatures. The aim of this study was to assess the behavioural and physiological responses that facilitate survival in low-temperature environments. In particular, we asked: 1) do high-altitude common frog (Rana temporaria) adults extend the time available for larval growth by breeding at lower temperatures than low-altitude individuals?; and 2) do tadpoles sampled from high-altitude sites differ physiologically from those from low-altitude sites, in terms of routine metabolic rate (RMR) and freeze tolerance? Breeding date was assessed as the first day of spawn observation and local temperature recorded for five, paired high- and low-altitude R. temporaria breeding sites in Scotland. Spawn was collected and tadpoles raised in a common laboratory environment, where RMR was measured as oxygen consumed using a closed respiratory tube system. Freeze tolerance was measured as survival following slow cooling to the point when all container water had frozen. We found that breeding did not occur below 5°C at any site and there was no significant relationship between breeding temperature and altitude, leading to a delay in spawning of five days for every 100 m increase in altitude. The relationship between altitude and RMR varied by mountain but was lower for individuals sampled from high- than low-altitude sites within the three mountains with the highest high-altitude sites (≥900 m). In contrast, individuals sampled from low-altitudes survived freezing significantly better than those from high-altitudes, across all mountains. Our results suggest that adults at high-altitude do not show behavioural adaptations in terms of breeding at lower temperatures. However, tadpoles appear to have the

  17. Adaptive Filtration of Physiological Artifacts in EEG Signals in Humans Using Empirical Mode Decomposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grubov, V. V.; Runnova, A. E.; Hramov, A. E.

    2018-05-01

    A new method for adaptive filtration of experimental EEG signals in humans and for removal of different physiological artifacts has been proposed. The algorithm of the method includes empirical mode decomposition of EEG, determination of the number of empirical modes that are considered, analysis of the empirical modes and search for modes that contains artifacts, removal of these modes, and reconstruction of the EEG signal. The method was tested on experimental human EEG signals and demonstrated high efficiency in the removal of different types of physiological EEG artifacts.

  18. Boldness behavior and stress physiology in a novel urban environment suggest rapid correlated evolutionary adaptation.

    PubMed

    Atwell, Jonathan W; Cardoso, Gonçalo C; Whittaker, Danielle J; Campbell-Nelson, Samuel; Robertson, Kyle W; Ketterson, Ellen D

    2012-09-01

    Novel or changing environments expose animals to diverse stressors that likely require coordinated hormonal and behavioral adaptations. Predicted adaptations to urban environments include attenuated physiological responses to stressors and bolder exploratory behaviors, but few studies to date have evaluated the impact of urban life on codivergence of these hormonal and behavioral traits in natural systems. Here, we demonstrate rapid adaptive shifts in both stress physiology and correlated boldness behaviors in a songbird, the dark-eyed junco, following its colonization of a novel urban environment. We compared elevation in corticosterone (CORT) in response to handling and flight initiation distances in birds from a recently established urban population in San Diego, California to birds from a nearby wildland population in the species' ancestral montane breeding range. We also measured CORT and exploratory behavior in birds raised from early life in a captive common garden study. We found persistent population differences for both reduced CORT responses and bolder exploratory behavior in birds from the colonist population, as well as significant negative covariation between maximum CORT and exploratory behavior. Although early developmental effects cannot be ruled out, these results suggest contemporary adaptive evolution of correlated hormonal and behavioral traits associated with colonization of an urban habitat.

  19. Boldness behavior and stress physiology in a novel urban environment suggest rapid correlated evolutionary adaptation

    PubMed Central

    Cardoso, Gonçalo C.; Whittaker, Danielle J.; Campbell-Nelson, Samuel; Robertson, Kyle W.; Ketterson, Ellen D.

    2012-01-01

    Novel or changing environments expose animals to diverse stressors that likely require coordinated hormonal and behavioral adaptations. Predicted adaptations to urban environments include attenuated physiological responses to stressors and bolder exploratory behaviors, but few studies to date have evaluated the impact of urban life on codivergence of these hormonal and behavioral traits in natural systems. Here, we demonstrate rapid adaptive shifts in both stress physiology and correlated boldness behaviors in a songbird, the dark-eyed junco, following its colonization of a novel urban environment. We compared elevation in corticosterone (CORT) in response to handling and flight initiation distances in birds from a recently established urban population in San Diego, California to birds from a nearby wildland population in the species' ancestral montane breeding range. We also measured CORT and exploratory behavior in birds raised from early life in a captive common garden study. We found persistent population differences for both reduced CORT responses and bolder exploratory behavior in birds from the colonist population, as well as significant negative covariation between maximum CORT and exploratory behavior. Although early developmental effects cannot be ruled out, these results suggest contemporary adaptive evolution of correlated hormonal and behavioral traits associated with colonization of an urban habitat. PMID:22936840

  20. Omics Approaches for Identifying Physiological Adaptations to Genome Instability in Aging.

    PubMed

    Edifizi, Diletta; Schumacher, Björn

    2017-11-04

    DNA damage causally contributes to aging and age-related diseases. The declining functioning of tissues and organs during aging can lead to the increased risk of succumbing to aging-associated diseases. Congenital syndromes that are caused by heritable mutations in DNA repair pathways lead to cancer susceptibility and accelerated aging, thus underlining the importance of genome maintenance for withstanding aging. High-throughput mass-spectrometry-based approaches have recently contributed to identifying signalling response networks and gaining a more comprehensive understanding of the physiological adaptations occurring upon unrepaired DNA damage. The insulin-like signalling pathway has been implicated in a DNA damage response (DDR) network that includes epidermal growth factor (EGF)-, AMP-activated protein kinases (AMPK)- and the target of rapamycin (TOR)-like signalling pathways, which are known regulators of growth, metabolism, and stress responses. The same pathways, together with the autophagy-mediated proteostatic response and the decline in energy metabolism have also been found to be similarly regulated during natural aging, suggesting striking parallels in the physiological adaptation upon persistent DNA damage due to DNA repair defects and long-term low-level DNA damage accumulation occurring during natural aging. These insights will be an important starting point to study the interplay between signalling networks involved in progeroid syndromes that are caused by DNA repair deficiencies and to gain new understanding of the consequences of DNA damage in the aging process.

  1. Report of the 10(th) Asia-Pacific Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand Congress (Organising Chair and Scientific Chair).

    PubMed

    A, Roohi Sharifah; Abdullah, Shalimar

    2016-10-01

    A report on the 10(th) Asia-Pacific Federation of Societies for the Surgery of the Hand and 6(th) Asia-Pacific Federation of Societies for Hand Therapists is submitted detailing the numbers of attendees participating, papers presented and support received as well the some of the challenges faced and how best to overcome them from the local conference chair and scientific chair point of view.

  2. Exploring the Tensions and Ambiguities of University Department Chairs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Armstrong, Denise E.; Woloshyn, Vera E.

    2017-01-01

    The department chair is a complex middle-management position located at the organizational fulcrum between faculty and senior administration. This qualitative study sought to develop a deeper understanding of chairs' experiences when enacting their dual roles as managers and scholars. Using a basic interpretative study design, we interviewed 10…

  3. Department Chair Advice on Teaching and Research at U.S. Research Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taggart, Gabel

    2015-01-01

    Using data from a 2010 survey of academic chairs, this study reports on academic department chairs' recommended time allocations to new assistant professors. I contend that personal values about research and teaching influence the department chair's recommendations along with organizational characteristics. Multi-level modeling indicates that…

  4. Teaching and Managing: Conflicting Roles of the Department Chair.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hoffman, Susan; And Others

    Community college department chairs are called upon to be colleagues and peers, managers, and teachers, with duties and responsibilities that are usually far more complex and demanding than any college document can convey. As a result of the demands of the position, department chairs may experience role conflict or strain. Role conflicts are…

  5. 76 FR 17118 - Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board Chairs

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-03-28

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board Chairs AGENCY... Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB) Chairs. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub... areas of environmental restoration, waste management, and related activities. Tentative Agenda Topics...

  6. 76 FR 62054 - Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board Chairs

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-10-06

    ... environmental restoration, waste management, and related activities. Tentative Agenda Topics [cir] EM Program... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board Chairs AGENCY... of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB) Chairs. The Federal Advisory...

  7. Physiological and biochemical changes associated with acute experimental dehydration in the desert adapted mouse, Peromyscus eremicus.

    PubMed

    Kordonowy, Lauren; Lombardo, Kaelina D; Green, Hannah L; Dawson, Molly D; Bolton, Evice A; LaCourse, Sarah; MacManes, Matthew D

    2017-03-01

    Characterizing traits critical for adaptation to a given environment is an important first step in understanding how phenotypes evolve. How animals adapt to the extreme heat and aridity commonplace to deserts is an exceptionally interesting example of these processes, and has been the focus of study for decades. In contrast to those studies, where experiments are conducted on either wild animals or captive animals held in non-desert conditions, the study described here leverages a unique environmental chamber that replicates desert conditions for captive Peromyscus eremicus (cactus mouse). Here, we establish baseline values for daily water intake and for serum electrolytes, as well as the response of these variables to acute experimental dehydration. In brief, P   eremicus daily water intake is very low. Its serum electrolytes are distinct from many previously studied animals, and its response to acute dehydration is profound, though not suggestive of renal impairment, which is atypical of mammals. © 2017 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Physiological Society and the American Physiological Society.

  8. 77 FR 55813 - Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board Chairs

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-09-11

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board Chairs AGENCY... Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB) Chairs. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub... environmental restoration, waste management, and related activities. Tentative Agenda Topics Tuesday, October 2...

  9. 78 FR 59012 - Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board Chairs

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-09-25

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board Chairs AGENCY... Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB) Chairs. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub... and site management in the areas of environmental restoration, waste management, and related...

  10. Adaptation, saturation, and physiological masking in single auditory-nerve fibers.

    PubMed

    Smith, R L

    1979-01-01

    Results are reviewed concerning some effects, at a units's characteristic frequency, of a short-term conditioning stimulus on the responses to perstimulatory and poststimulatory test tones. A phenomenological equation is developed from the poststimulatory results and shown to be consistent with the perstimulatory results. According to the results and equation, the response to a test tone equals the unconditioned or unadapted response minus the decrement produced by adaptation to the conditioning tone. Furthermore, the decrement is proportional to the driven response to the conditioning tone and does not depend on sound intensity per se. The equation has a simple interpretation in terms of two processes in cascade--a static saturating nonlinearity followed by additive adaptation. Results are presented to show that this functional model is sufficient to account for the "physiological masking" produced by wide-band backgrounds. According to this interpretation, a sufficiently intense background produces saturation. Consequently, a superimposed test tone cause no change in response. In addition, when the onset of the background precedes the onset of the test tone, the total firing rate is reduced by adaptation. Evidence is reviewed concerning the possible correspondence between the variables in the model and intracellular events in the auditory periphery.

  11. "Rocking-Chair"-Type Metal Hybrid Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Yoo, Hyun Deog; Han, Sang-Don; Bayliss, Ryan D; Gewirth, Andrew A; Genorio, Bostjan; Rajput, Nav Nidhi; Persson, Kristin A; Burrell, Anthony K; Cabana, Jordi

    2016-11-16

    Hybrid supercapacitors that follow a "rocking-chair"-type mechanism were developed by coupling divalent metal and activated carbon electrodes in nonaqueous electrolytes. Conventional supercapacitors require a large amount of electrolyte to provide a sufficient quantity of ions to the electrodes, due to their Daniell-type mechanism that depletes the ions from the electrolyte while charging. The alternative "rocking-chair"-type mechanism effectively enhances the energy density of supercapacitors by minimizing the necessary amount of electrolyte, because the ion is replenished from the metal anode while it is adsorbed to the cathode. Newly developed nonaqueous electrolytes for Mg and Zn electrochemistry, based on bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (TFSI) salts, made the metal hybrid supercapacitors possible by enabling reversible deposition on the metal anodes and reversible adsorption on an activated carbon cathode. Factoring in gains through the cell design, the energy density of the metal hybrid supercapacitors is projected to be a factor of 7 higher than conventional devices thanks to both the "rocking-chair"-type mechanism that minimizes total electrolyte volume and the use of metal anodes, which have substantial merits in capacity and voltage. Self-discharge was also substantially alleviated compared to conventional supercapacitors. This concept offers a route to build supercapacitors that meet dual criteria of power and energy densities with a simple cell design.

  12. The Problem Solving Role of the University Department Chair.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seedorf, Rita G.

    A descriptive study was conducted to identify the problems met by university department chairs and describe the most common methods for dealing with them. The data were gathered by both qualitative and quantitative methods using a national survey of 808 department chairs (with a 70.2% response rate) as well as a series of semi-structured…

  13. 78 FR 20311 - Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board Chairs

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-04-04

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board Chairs AGENCY... Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB) Chairs. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub... Board is to make recommendations to DOE-EM and site management in the areas of environmental restoration...

  14. Department Chairs' Perceptions of the Importance of Business Communication Skills.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wardrope, William J.

    2002-01-01

    Determines business department chairs' ratings of topics typically covered in the business communication course. Indicates that department chairs perceive writing skills to be more important to business communication courses than other communication skills, such as speaking, technology-mediated communication, interpersonal communication,…

  15. Omics Approaches for Identifying Physiological Adaptations to Genome Instability in Aging

    PubMed Central

    Edifizi, Diletta; Schumacher, Björn

    2017-01-01

    DNA damage causally contributes to aging and age-related diseases. The declining functioning of tissues and organs during aging can lead to the increased risk of succumbing to aging-associated diseases. Congenital syndromes that are caused by heritable mutations in DNA repair pathways lead to cancer susceptibility and accelerated aging, thus underlining the importance of genome maintenance for withstanding aging. High-throughput mass-spectrometry-based approaches have recently contributed to identifying signalling response networks and gaining a more comprehensive understanding of the physiological adaptations occurring upon unrepaired DNA damage. The insulin-like signalling pathway has been implicated in a DNA damage response (DDR) network that includes epidermal growth factor (EGF)-, AMP-activated protein kinases (AMPK)- and the target of rapamycin (TOR)-like signalling pathways, which are known regulators of growth, metabolism, and stress responses. The same pathways, together with the autophagy-mediated proteostatic response and the decline in energy metabolism have also been found to be similarly regulated during natural aging, suggesting striking parallels in the physiological adaptation upon persistent DNA damage due to DNA repair defects and long-term low-level DNA damage accumulation occurring during natural aging. These insights will be an important starting point to study the interplay between signalling networks involved in progeroid syndromes that are caused by DNA repair deficiencies and to gain new understanding of the consequences of DNA damage in the aging process. PMID:29113067

  16. Adaptation to Altitude as a Vehicle for Experiential Learning of Physiology by University Undergraduates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weigle, David S.; Buben, Amelia; Burke, Caitlin C.; Carroll, Nels D.; Cook, Brett M.; Davis, Benjamin S.; Dubowitz, Gerald; Fisher, Rian E.; Freeman, Timothy C.; Gibbons, Stephen M.; Hansen, Hale A.; Heys, Kimberly A.; Hopkins, Brittany; Jordan, Brittany L.; McElwain, Katherine L.; Powell, Frank L.; Reinhart, Katherine E.; Robbins, Charles D.; Summers, Cameron C.; Walker, Jennifer D.; Weber, Steven S.; Weinheimer, Caroline J.

    2007-01-01

    In this article, an experiential learning activity is described in which 19 university undergraduates made experimental observations on each other to explore physiological adaptations to high altitude. Following 2 wk of didactic sessions and baseline data collection at sea level, the group ascended to a research station at 12,500-ft elevation.…

  17. Advancing Women's Health and Women's Leadership With Endowed Chairs in Women's Health.

    PubMed

    Carnes, Molly; Johnson, Paula; Klein, Wendy; Jenkins, Marjorie; Bairey Merz, C Noel

    2017-02-01

    Gender-based bias and conflation of gender and status are root causes of disparities in women's health care and the slow advancement of women to leadership in academic medicine. More than a quarter of women physicians train in internal medicine and its subspecialties, and women physicians almost exclusively constitute the women's health focus within internal medicine. Thus, internal medicine has considerable opportunity to develop women leaders in academic medicine and promote women's health equity.To probe whether holding an endowed chair-which confers status-in women's health may be an effective way to advance women leaders in academic medicine and women's health, the authors explored the current status of endowed chairs in women's health in internal medicine. They found that the number of these endowed chairs in North America increased from 7 in 2013 to 19 in 2015, and all were held by women. The perceptions of incumbents and other women's health leaders supported the premise that an endowed chair in women's health would increase women's leadership, the institutional stature of women's health, and activities in women's health research, education, and clinical care.Going forward, it will be important to explore why not all recipients perceived that the endowed chair enhanced their own academic leadership, whether providing women's health leaders with fundraising expertise fosters future success in increasing the number of women's health endowed chairs, and how the conflation of gender and status play out (e.g., salary differences between endowed chairs) as the number of endowed chairs in women's health increases.

  18. 76 FR 20651 - Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board Chairs

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-04-13

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board Chairs AGENCY... a meeting on April 13-14, 2011 of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board Chairs... R. Butler, Acting Deputy Committee Management Officer. [FR Doc. 2011-8970 Filed 4-8-11; 4:15 pm...

  19. Human Research Program 2010 Chair Standing Review Panel Meeting

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Steinberg, Susan

    2011-01-01

    The 13 Human Research Program (HRP) Standing Review Panel (SRP) Chairs, and in some cases one or two additional panel members (see section XIV, roster) referred to as the Chair (+1) SRP throughout this document, met at the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) on December 7, 2010 to allow the HRP Elements and Projects to report on their progress over the past year, their current status, and their plans for the upcoming year based on NASA's current goals and objectives for human space exploration. A large focus of the meeting was also used to discuss integration across the HRP scientific disciplines based on a recommendation from the 2009 HRP SRP review. During the one-day meeting, each of the HRP Elements and Projects presented the changes they made to the HRP Integrated Research Plan (IRP Rev. B) over the last year, and what their top three areas of integration are between other HRP Elements/Projects. The Chair (+1) SRP spent sufficient time addressing the panel charge, either as a group or in a separate closed session, and the Chair (+1) SRP and the HRP presenters and observers, in most cases, had sufficient time to discuss during and after the presentations. The SRP made a final debriefing to the HRP Program Scientist, Dr. John B. Charles, prior to the close of the meeting on December 7, 2010. Overall, the Chair (+1) SRP concluded that most of the HRP Elements/Projects did a commendable job during the past year in addressing integration across the HRP scientific disciplines with the available resources. The Chair (+1) SRP agreed that the idea of integration between HRP Elements/Projects is noble, but believes all parties involved should have the same definition of integration, in order to be successful. The Chair (+1) SRP also believes that a key to successful integration is communication among the HRP Elements/Projects which may present a challenge. The Chair (+1) SRP recommends that the HRP have a workshop on program integration (with HRP Element

  20. Seat pan and backrest pressure distribution while sitting in office chairs.

    PubMed

    Zemp, Roland; Taylor, William R; Lorenzetti, Silvio

    2016-03-01

    Nowadays, an increasing amount of time is spent seated, especially in office environments, where sitting comfort and support are increasingly important due to the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders. The aim of this study was to develop a methodology for chair-specific sensor mat calibration, to evaluate the interconnections between specific pressure parameters and to establish those that are most meaningful and significant in order to differentiate pressure distribution measures between office chairs. The shape of the exponential calibration function was highly influenced by the material properties and geometry of the office chairs, and therefore a chair-specific calibration proved to be essential. High correlations were observed between the eight analysed pressure parameters, whereby the pressure parameters could be reduced to a set of four and three parameters for the seat pan and the backrest respectively. In order to find significant differences between office chairs, gradient parameters should be analysed for the seat pan, whereas for the backrest almost all parameters are suitable. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

  1. Biochemical and physiological adaptations in the estuarine crab Neohelice granulata during salinity acclimation.

    PubMed

    Bianchini, Adalto; Lauer, Mariana Machado; Nery, Luiz Eduardo Maia; Colares, Elton Pinto; Monserrat, José María; Dos Santos Filho, Euclydes Antônio

    2008-11-01

    Neohelice granulata (Chasmagnathus granulatus) is an intertidal crab species living in salt marshes from estuaries and lagoons along the Atlantic coast of South America. It is a key species in these environments because it is responsible for energy transfer from producers to consumers. In order to deal with the extremely marked environmental salinity changes occurring in salt marshes, N. granulata shows important and interesting structural, biochemical, and physiological adaptations at the gills level. These adaptations characterize this crab as a euryhaline species, tolerating environmental salinities ranging from very diluted media to concentrated seawater. These characteristics had led to its use as an animal model to study estuarine adaptations in crustaceans. Therefore, the present review focuses on the influence of environmental salinity on N. granulata responses at the ecological, organismic and molecular levels. Aspects covered include salinity tolerance, osmo- and ionoregulatory patterns, morphological and structural adaptations at the gills, and mechanisms of ion transport and their regulation at the gills level during environmental salinity acclimation. Finally, this review compiles information on the effects of some environmental pollutants on iono- and osmoregulatory adaptations showed by N. granulata.

  2. From Chair to "Chair": A Representational Shift Account of Object Labeling Effects on Memory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lupyan, Gary

    2008-01-01

    What are the consequences of calling things by their names? Six experiments investigated how classifying familiar objects with basic-level names (chairs, tables, and lamps) affected recognition memory. Memory was found to be worse for items that were overtly classified with the category name--as reflected by lower hit rates--compared with items…

  3. Family Medicine Department Chairs' Opinions Regarding Scope of Practice.

    PubMed

    Peterson, Lars E; Blackburn, Brenna; Phillips, Robert L; Mainous, Arch G

    2015-12-01

    Family physicians are trained broadly to provide the majority of health care across multiple settings; however, their scope of practice has narrowed. Department chairs' role modeling of a broad scope of practice may set the tone for faculty and trainees. In 2013, the authors surveyed family medicine department chairs about their scope of practice, personal and department characteristics, and attitudes and beliefs about scope of practice and role modeling. They used descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses to test for associations between scope of practice, personal and department characteristics, and attitudes and beliefs. They created a Scope of Practice Index by summing the number of services each respondent provided to compare scope of practice across chairs. Of 146 chairs, 88 responded (60.3% response rate); 85 were included in the final analysis. Sixty-five (77.4%) respondents were male; 73 (86.9%) were 51 years or older. Respondents spent a mean of 19.7% of their time in direct patient care and had a mean Scope of Practice Index of 11.9. Fifty-three (62.4%) disagreed that the scope of practice of family medicine was too broad for practicing physicians to keep up in all areas, and 56 (65.9%) believed that faculty should role model the full scope of practice to learners. Responses generally did not vary by respondents' personal scope of practice. Family medicine department chairs believe that role modeling a broad scope of practice increases students' interest in family medicine and encourages residency graduates to provide a wide range of services.

  4. SU-C-19A-05: Treatment Chairs for Modern Radiation Therapy Treatments

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

    Court, L; Fullen, D; Tharp, K

    2014-06-15

    Purpose: Treating patients in a seated position has potential advantages including improved comfort, increased lung volume, and reduced respiratory motion. We compared chair designs for head and neck, thoracic and breast patients for use with either IGRT linacs or a proposed low-cost fixed horizontal beam-line machine. Methods: Three treatment chairs were designed and constructed. Two of the chairs are based on a massage-chair, with the patient angled slightly forwards and knee rests used to minimize intra-fraction slouch. The third chair design is more conventional; the patient is angled backwards, with indexed positioning devices and the ability to attach thermoplastic masks.more » Patient geometries, including PTV location and patient sizes, were extracted from 137 CTs of past patients were used to model the probability of collision between the patient and the linac for various seated positions. All chairs were designed around the weight limits for couches on our linacs. At the time of writing we have just received IRB approval for imaging studies to evaluate comfort, and intra- and interfraction reproducibility. Results: The geometric analysis showed that head and neck patients and thoracic patients could be treated without collision. However, there is very limited space between the patient and the treatment/imaging devices, so careful design of the chair is essential. The position of the treatment target and extended arm positioning means that this is a particular concern for thoracic and breast patients. This was demonstrated for one of the prototype chairs designed for breast treatment where the arm holders would collide with the kV detector. The extra clearance of a dedicated fixed-beam linac would overcome these difficulties. Intra- and inter-fraction reproducibility results will be presented at the meeting. Conclusion: To take advantage of the clinical advantages of seated treatments, appropriate treatment chairs are needed. A dedicate fixed-beam linac

  5. New product development: A batik multifunctional chair

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Indrawati, Sri; Sukmaningsih, Nias

    2017-11-01

    The biggest challenge facing by Batik industry in ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) era is the greater number of fashion competitors both domestically and internationally. Based on that condition, the development of new product variants by considering product performance and price is needed. This research was conducted to develop batik products with a new target market. Products that being developed is batik multifunctional chair using integrated value engineering and analytic hierarchy process methods. This research has been done in several stages, ie. Information stage, creative stage, value analysis and product prototyping. The results of this research shows that the batik multifunctional chair product criteria are aesthetic (29%), multifunctional (34%) and ergonomic (37%). There are three new product design alternatives that successfully being developed. Based on value analysis, the product design alternatives that have the highest value is alternative design 2, the value is 2,37. The production cost for this design is Rp. 500.000,-. Alternative design 2 specification are using Mahoni wood, Batik parang rusak pattern with natural coloring process, can be used as table and fit with customer's body anthropometry. Then a batik multifunctional chair prototype is developed based on the best alternative design.

  6. Genetic dissection of the Arabidopsis spaceflight transcriptome: Are some responses dispensable for the physiological adaptation of plants to spaceflight?

    PubMed Central

    Sng, Natasha J.; Zupanska, Agata K.; Krishnamurthy, Aparna; Schultz, Eric R.; Ferl, Robert J.

    2017-01-01

    Experimentation on the International Space Station has reached the stage where repeated and nuanced transcriptome studies are beginning to illuminate the structural and metabolic differences between plants grown in space compared to plants on the Earth. Genes that are important in establishing the spaceflight responses are being identified, their roles in spaceflight physiological adaptation are increasingly understood, and the fact that different genotypes adapt differently is recognized. However, the basic question of whether these spaceflight responses are actually required for survival has yet to be posed, and the fundamental notion that spaceflight responses may be non-adaptive has yet to be explored. Therefore the experiments presented here were designed to ask if portions of the plant spaceflight response can be genetically removed without causing loss of spaceflight survival and without causing increased stress responses. The CARA experiment compared the spaceflight transcriptome responses in the root tips of two Arabidopsis ecotypes, Col-0 and WS, as well as that of a PhyD mutant of Col-0. When grown with the ambient light of the ISS, phyD plants displayed a significantly reduced spaceflight transcriptome response compared to Col-0, suggesting that altering the activity of a single gene can actually improve spaceflight adaptation by reducing the transcriptome cost of physiological adaptation. The WS genotype showed an even simpler spaceflight transcriptome response in the ambient light of the ISS, more broadly indicating that the plant genotype can be manipulated to reduce the cost of spaceflight adaptation, as measured by transcriptional response. These differential genotypic responses suggest that genetic manipulation could further reduce, or perhaps eliminate the metabolic cost of spaceflight adaptation. When plants were germinated and then left in the dark on the ISS, the WS genotype actually mounted a larger transcriptome response than Col-0

  7. Genetic dissection of the Arabidopsis spaceflight transcriptome: Are some responses dispensable for the physiological adaptation of plants to spaceflight?

    PubMed

    Paul, Anna-Lisa; Sng, Natasha J; Zupanska, Agata K; Krishnamurthy, Aparna; Schultz, Eric R; Ferl, Robert J

    2017-01-01

    Experimentation on the International Space Station has reached the stage where repeated and nuanced transcriptome studies are beginning to illuminate the structural and metabolic differences between plants grown in space compared to plants on the Earth. Genes that are important in establishing the spaceflight responses are being identified, their roles in spaceflight physiological adaptation are increasingly understood, and the fact that different genotypes adapt differently is recognized. However, the basic question of whether these spaceflight responses are actually required for survival has yet to be posed, and the fundamental notion that spaceflight responses may be non-adaptive has yet to be explored. Therefore the experiments presented here were designed to ask if portions of the plant spaceflight response can be genetically removed without causing loss of spaceflight survival and without causing increased stress responses. The CARA experiment compared the spaceflight transcriptome responses in the root tips of two Arabidopsis ecotypes, Col-0 and WS, as well as that of a PhyD mutant of Col-0. When grown with the ambient light of the ISS, phyD plants displayed a significantly reduced spaceflight transcriptome response compared to Col-0, suggesting that altering the activity of a single gene can actually improve spaceflight adaptation by reducing the transcriptome cost of physiological adaptation. The WS genotype showed an even simpler spaceflight transcriptome response in the ambient light of the ISS, more broadly indicating that the plant genotype can be manipulated to reduce the cost of spaceflight adaptation, as measured by transcriptional response. These differential genotypic responses suggest that genetic manipulation could further reduce, or perhaps eliminate the metabolic cost of spaceflight adaptation. When plants were germinated and then left in the dark on the ISS, the WS genotype actually mounted a larger transcriptome response than Col-0

  8. 76 FR 12945 - Instructions for Implementing Climate Change Adaptation Planning in Accordance With Executive...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-03-09

    ... COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Instructions for Implementing Climate Change Adaptation Planning... Availability of Climate Change Adaptation Planning Implementing Instructions. SUMMARY: The Chair of the Council... for Implementing Climate Change Adaptation Planning are now available at: http://www.whitehouse.gov...

  9. Quality Improvement Practices in Academic Emergency Medicine: Perspectives from the Chairs

    PubMed Central

    DelliFraine, Jami; Langabeer, James; King, Brent

    2010-01-01

    Objective To assess academic emergency medicine (EM) chairs’ perceptions of quality improvement (QI) training programs. Methods A voluntary anonymous 20 item survey was distributed to a sample of academic chairs of EM through the Association of Academic Chairs of Emergency Medicine. Data was collected to assess the percentage of academic emergency physicians who had received QI training, the type of training they received, their perception of the impact of this training on behavior, practice and outcomes, and any perceived barriers to implementing QI programs in the emergency department. Results The response rate to the survey was 69% (N = 59). 59.3% of respondents report that their hospital has a formal QI program for physicians. Chairs received training in a variety of QI programs. The type of QI program used by respondents was perceived as having no impact on goals achieved by QI (χ2 = 12.382; p = 0.260), but there was a statistically significant (χ2 = 14.383; p = 0.006) relationship between whether or not goals were achieved and academic EM chairs’ perceptions about return on investment for QI training. Only 22% of chairs responded that they have already made changes as a result of the QI training. 78.8% of EM chairs responded that quality programs could have a significant positive impact on their practice and the healthcare industry. Chairs perceived that QI programs had the most potential value in the areas of understanding and reducing medical errors and improving patient flow and throughput. Other areas of potential value of QI include improving specific clinical indicators and standardizing physician care. Conclusion Academic EM chairs perceived that QI programs were an effective way to drive needed improvements. The results suggest that there is a high level of interest in QI but a low level of adoption of training and implementation. PMID:21293770

  10. Influence of dietary nitrate supplementation on physiological and muscle metabolic adaptations to sprint interval training

    PubMed Central

    Thompson, Christopher; Wylie, Lee J.; Blackwell, Jamie R.; Fulford, Jonathan; Black, Matthew I.; Kelly, James; McDonagh, Sinead T. J.; Carter, James; Bailey, Stephen J.; Vanhatalo, Anni

    2017-01-01

    We hypothesized that 4 wk of dietary nitrate supplementation would enhance exercise performance and muscle metabolic adaptations to sprint interval training (SIT). Thirty-six recreationally active subjects, matched on key variables at baseline, completed a series of exercise tests before and following a 4-wk period in which they were allocated to one of the following groups: 1) SIT and NO3−-depleted beetroot juice as a placebo (SIT+PL); 2) SIT and NO3−-rich beetroot juice (~13 mmol NO3−/day; SIT+BR); or 3) no training and NO3−-rich beetroot juice (NT+BR). During moderate-intensity exercise, pulmonary oxygen uptake was reduced by 4% following 4 wk of SIT+BR and NT+BR (P < 0.05) but not SIT+PL. The peak work rate attained during incremental exercise increased more in SIT+BR than in SIT+PL (P < 0.05) or NT+BR (P < 0.001). The reduction in muscle and blood [lactate] and the increase in muscle pH from preintervention to postintervention were greater at 3 min of severe-intensity exercise in SIT+BR compared with SIT+PL and NT+BR (P < 0.05). However, the change in severe-intensity exercise performance was not different between SIT+BR and SIT+PL (P > 0.05). The relative proportion of type IIx muscle fibers in the vastus lateralis muscle was reduced in SIT+BR only (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that BR supplementation may enhance some aspects of the physiological adaptations to SIT. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We investigated the influence of nitrate-rich and nitrate-depleted beetroot juice on the muscle metabolic and physiological adaptations to 4 wk of sprint interval training. Compared with placebo, dietary nitrate supplementation reduced the O2 cost of submaximal exercise, resulted in greater improvement in incremental (but not severe-intensity) exercise performance, and augmented some muscle metabolic adaptations to training. Nitrate supplementation may facilitate some of the physiological responses to sprint interval training. PMID:27909231

  11. Opening a Conversation between Department Chairs: Possibilities for the U.S. and Australia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wolverton, Mimi; And Others

    This study identified and compared the environmental pressures and work-related stresses that impact the chairs of academic departments at universities in Australia and the United States. Surveys were mailed to every department chair at all 40 Australian universities (1680 chairs) with a 51 percent response rate. Surveys were also mailed to a…

  12. Legal Issues Confronting Department Chairs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Colm, Maxine

    2002-01-01

    Identifies broad areas affecting department chairs when they deal with academic personnel matters, including sexual harassment and sexual discrimination. Notes that the hiring and reappointment process is at the core of building and maintaining the highest quality faculty members, and that most federal and state courts defer to academic judgment…

  13. Physiological adaptation to the humid tropics with special reference to the West African Dwarf (WAD) goat.

    PubMed

    Daramola, J O; Adeloye, A A

    2009-10-01

    West African Dwarf (WAD) goats are widely distributed in the subhumid and humid zones of Africa but are particularly associated with less favourable environments. Adaptive features such as feeding behaviour, efficiency of feed use and disease tolerance enable WAD goats to thrive on natural resources left untouched by other domestic ruminants. In marginal environments this goat remains the only domestic species that is able to survive. Among its physiological features small body size and low metabolic requirements are important traits that enable the animal to minimize its requirements in area or season where food sources are limited in quality and quantity. Specialized feeding behaviour and an efficient digestive system enable the animal to maximize food intake. Coat colour plays an important role in the evolved adaptation of this goat type. Reproductive fitness as manifested by prolific breeding is a major factor of adaptation. Defence mechanisms against infectious agents enable this type to thrive well in the hot humid tropics. The mechanisms involved in the regulation of these physiological functions of WAD goat are discussed. An understanding of these mechanisms could result in the development of improved techniques for enhancing goat productivity in humid environments.

  14. Perceptions of Interior Design Program Chairs Regarding Credentials for Faculty

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Beth R.

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine whether program chairs in interior design have a preferred degree credential for candidates seeking a full-time, tenure-track position or other full-time position at their institution and to determine if there is a correlation between this preference and the program chair's university's demographics,…

  15. The lugworm Arenicola marina: A model of physiological adaptation to life in intertidal sediments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zebe, E.; Schiedek, D.

    1996-03-01

    The results of more than two decades of intensive research on the physiological and biochemical features of the lugworm are reviewed with the aim of drawing a general and comprehensive picture of the adaptation of this species to the special conditions of living in the tidal zone, which may also hold true for the majority of invertebrates found in this habitat.

  16. What Has Natural Variation Taught Us about Plant Development, Physiology, and Adaptation?

    PubMed Central

    Alonso-Blanco, Carlos; Aarts, Mark G.M.; Bentsink, Leonie; Keurentjes, Joost J.B.; Reymond, Matthieu; Vreugdenhil, Dick; Koornneef, Maarten

    2009-01-01

    Nearly 100 genes and functional polymorphisms underlying natural variation in plant development and physiology have been identified. In crop plants, these include genes involved in domestication traits, such as those related to plant architecture, fruit and seed structure and morphology, as well as yield and quality traits improved by subsequent crop breeding. In wild plants, comparable traits have been dissected mainly in Arabidopsis thaliana. In this review, we discuss the major contributions of the analysis of natural variation to our understanding of plant development and physiology, focusing in particular on the timing of germination and flowering, plant growth and morphology, primary metabolism, and mineral accumulation. Overall, functional polymorphisms appear in all types of genes and gene regions, and they may have multiple mutational causes. However, understanding this diversity in relation to adaptation and environmental variation is a challenge for which tools are now available. PMID:19574434

  17. ADAPTIVE REAL-TIME CARDIAC MRI USING PARADISE: VALIDATION BY THE PHYSIOLOGICALLY IMPROVED NCAT PHANTOM

    PubMed Central

    Sharif, Behzad; Bresler, Yoram

    2013-01-01

    Patient-Adaptive Reconstruction and Acquisition Dynamic Imaging with Sensitivity Encoding (PARADISE) is a dynamic MR imaging scheme that optimally combines parallel imaging and model-based adaptive acquisition. In this work, we propose the application of PARADISE to real-time cardiac MRI. We introduce a physiologically improved version of a realistic four-dimensional cardiac-torso (NCAT) phantom, which incorporates natural beat-to-beat heart rate and motion variations. Cardiac cine imaging using PARADISE is simulated and its performance is analyzed by virtue of the improved phantom. Results verify the effectiveness of PARADISE for high resolution un-gated real-time cardiac MRI and its superiority over conventional acquisition methods. PMID:24398475

  18. Energetics, adaptation, and adaptability.

    PubMed

    Ulijaszek, Stanley J

    1996-01-01

    Energy capture and conversion are fundamental to human existence, and over the past three decades biological anthropologists have used a number of approaches which incorporate energetics measures in studies of human population biology. Human groups can vary enormously in their energy expenditure. This review considers evidence for genetic adaptation and presents models for physiological adaptability to reduced physiological energy availability and/or negative energy balance. In industrialized populations, different aspects of energy expenditure have been shown to have a genetic component, including basal metabolic rate, habitual physical activity level, mechanical efficiency of work performance, and thermic effect of food. Metabolic adaptation to low energy intakes has been demonstrated in populations in both developing and industrialized nations. Thyroid hormone-related effects on energy metabolic responses to low physiological energy availability are unified in a model, linking energetic adaptability in physical activity and maintenance metabolism. Negative energy balance has been shown to be associated with reduced reproductive function in women experiencing seasonal environments in some developing countries. Existing models relating negative energy balance to menstrual or ovulatory function are largely descriptive, and do not propose any physiological mechanisms for this phenomenon. A model is proposed whereby reduced physiological energy availability could influence ovulatory function via low serum levels of the amino acid aspartate and reduced sympathetic nervous system activity. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Copyright © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  19. Human physiological adaptation to extended Space Flight and its implications for Space Station

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kutyna, F. A.; Shumate, W. H.

    1985-01-01

    Current work evaluating short-term space flight physiological data on the homeostatic changes due to weightlessness is presented as a means of anticipating Space Station long-term effects. An integrated systems analysis of current data shows a vestibulo-sensory adaptation within days; a loss of body mass, fluids, and electrolytes, stabilizing in a month; and a loss in red cell mass over a month. But bone demineralization which did not level off is seen as the biggest concern. Computer algorithms have been developed to simulate the human adaptation to weightlessness. So far these paradigms have been backed up by flight data and it is hoped that they will provide valuable information for future Space Station design. A series of explanatory schematics is attached.

  20. Trapezius muscle activity in using ordinary and ergonomically designed dentistry chairs.

    PubMed

    Haddad, O; Sanjari, M A; Amirfazli, A; Narimani, R; Parnianpour, M

    2012-04-01

    Most dentists complain of musculoskeletal disorders which can be caused by prolonged static posture, lack of suitable rest and other physical and psychological problems. We evaluated a chair with a new ergonomic design which incorporated forward leaning chest and arm supports. The chair was evaluated in the laboratory during task simulation and EMG analysis on 12 students and subjectively assessed by 30 professional dentists using an 18-item questionnaire. EMG activity of right and left trapezius muscles for 12 male students with no musculoskeletal disorders was measured while simulating common tasks like working on the teeth of the lower jaw. Normalized EMG data showed significant reduction (p<0.05) in all EMG recordings of the trapezius muscle. Dentists also unanimously preferred the ergonomically designed chair. Such ergonomically designed chairs should be introduced as early as possible in student training before bad postural habits are acquired.

  1. PHYCAA+: an optimized, adaptive procedure for measuring and controlling physiological noise in BOLD fMRI.

    PubMed

    Churchill, Nathan W; Strother, Stephen C

    2013-11-15

    The presence of physiological noise in functional MRI can greatly limit the sensitivity and accuracy of BOLD signal measurements, and produce significant false positives. There are two main types of physiological confounds: (1) high-variance signal in non-neuronal tissues of the brain including vascular tracts, sinuses and ventricles, and (2) physiological noise components which extend into gray matter tissue. These physiological effects may also be partially coupled with stimuli (and thus the BOLD response). To address these issues, we have developed PHYCAA+, a significantly improved version of the PHYCAA algorithm (Churchill et al., 2011) that (1) down-weights the variance of voxels in probable non-neuronal tissue, and (2) identifies the multivariate physiological noise subspace in gray matter that is linked to non-neuronal tissue. This model estimates physiological noise directly from EPI data, without requiring external measures of heartbeat and respiration, or manual selection of physiological components. The PHYCAA+ model significantly improves the prediction accuracy and reproducibility of single-subject analyses, compared to PHYCAA and a number of commonly-used physiological correction algorithms. Individual subject denoising with PHYCAA+ is independently validated by showing that it consistently increased between-subject activation overlap, and minimized false-positive signal in non gray-matter loci. The results are demonstrated for both block and fast single-event task designs, applied to standard univariate and adaptive multivariate analysis models. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Does a dynamic chair increase office workers' movements? - Results from a combined laboratory and field study.

    PubMed

    Grooten, Wilhelmus J A; Äng, Björn O; Hagströmer, Maria; Conradsson, David; Nero, Håkan; Franzén, Erika

    2017-04-01

    Dynamic chairs have the potential to facilitate movements that could counteract health problems associated with sedentary office work. This study aimed to evaluate whether a dynamic chair can increase movements during desk-based office work. Fifteen healthy subjects performed desk-based office work using a dynamic office chair and compared to three other conditions in a movement laboratory. In a field study, the dynamic office chair was studied during three working days using accelerometry. Equivocal results showed that the dynamic chair increased upper body and chair movements as compared to the conventional chair, but lesser movements were found compared to standing. No differences were found between the conditions in the field study. A dynamic chair may facilitate movements in static desk-based office tasks, but the results were not consistent for all outcome measures. Validation of measuring protocols for assessing movements during desk-based office work is warranted. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Does chair type influence outcome in the timed "Up and Go" test in older persons?

    PubMed

    Kalula, S Z; Swingler, G H; Sayer, A A; Badri, M; Ferreira, M

    2010-04-01

    To test the effects of the use of a collapsible, portable chair (chair B), as opposed to a 'standard' chair (chair A), on the outcome of the timed "Up and Go" (TUG) test. Cross-sectional. Multipurpose senior centres. Mobile older persons (N=118, mean age 77 years (range 62-99 years)). Time to complete the timed "Up and Go" test using chair A and chair B, and inter-rater agreement in the time scores. Time taken to complete the TUG test did not differ by chair type [median (interquartile range, IQR) = 12.3 (9.53-15.9) and 12.6 (9.7-16.6)] seconds for Chair A and B respectively, p-value=0.87. In multiple regression analyses, factors that impacted on time difference in test performance for the two chairs were use of a walking aid during the test [Odds ratio (OR) = 3.7 95%CI 1.1-11.9, p=0.031], observed difficulty with mobility (OR= 27.7 95%CI 2.6-290, p=0.006), and a history of arthritis in the knees (OR= 2.9 95%CI 1.0-8.7, P=0.05). In an inter-rater agreement analysis, no significant difference was found between time scores recorded by the two raters; median (IQR) = 12.4 (10.9-15.9) and 12.3 (7.2-59.1) seconds for the occupation therapist and for the research assistant, respectively (Wilcoxon matched pairs test, p=0.124, Spearman correlation coefficient = 0.99, p < 0.001). The use of a portable canvas chair with standardised specifications offers an acceptable alternative to the use of a 'standard' chair in assessments of fall risk using the TUG test in field settings where field workers are reliant on public transport.

  4. A Profile of Academic Training Program Directors and Chairs in Radiation Oncology

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

    Wilson, Lynn D., E-mail: Lynn.wilson@yale.edu; Haffty, Bruce G.; Smith, Benjamin D.

    Purpose: To identify objective characteristics and benchmarks for program leadership in academic radiation oncology. Methods and Materials: A study of the 87 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education radiation oncology training program directors (PD) and their chairs was performed. Variables included age, gender, original training department, highest degree, rank, endowed chair assignment, National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, and Hirsch index (H-index). Data were gathered from online sources such as departmental websites, NIH RePORTER, and Scopus. Results: There were a total of 87 PD. The median age was 48, and 14 (16%) were MD/PhD. A total of 21 (24%) weremore » female, and rank was relatively equally distributed above instructor. Of the 26 professors, at least 7 (27%) were female. At least 24 (28%) were working at the institution from which they had received their training. A total of 6 individuals held endowed chairs. Only 2 PD had active NIH funding in 2012. The median H-index was 12 (range, 0-51) but the index dropped to 9 (range, 0-38) when those who served as both PD and chair were removed from the group. A total of 76 chairs were identified at the time of the study. The median age was 55, and 9 (12%) were MD/PhD. A total of 7 (9%) of the chairs were female, and rank was professor for all with the exception of 1 who was listed as “Head” and was an associate professor. Of the 76 chairs, at least 10 (13%) were working at the institution from which they received their training. There were a total of 21 individuals with endowed chairs. A total of 13 (17%) had NIH funding in 2012. The median H-index was 29 (range, 3-60). Conclusions: These data provide benchmarks for individuals and departments evaluating leadership positions in the field of academic radiation oncology. Such data are useful for evaluating leadership trends over time and comparing academic radiation oncology with other specialties.« less

  5. Global transcriptional, physiological and metabolite analyses of Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough responses to salt adaptation

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

    He, Z.; Zhou, A.; Baidoo, E.

    2009-12-01

    The response of Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough to salt adaptation (long-term NaCl exposure) was examined by physiological, global transcriptional, and metabolite analyses. The growth of D. vulgaris was inhibited by high levels of NaCl, and the growth inhibition could be relieved by the addition of exogenous amino acids (e.g., glutamate, alanine, tryptophan) or yeast extract. Salt adaptation induced the expression of genes involved in amino acid biosynthesis and transport, electron transfer, hydrogen oxidation, and general stress responses (e.g., heat shock proteins, phage shock proteins, and oxidative stress response proteins). Genes involved in carbon metabolism, cell motility, and phage structures were repressed.more » Comparison of transcriptomic profiles of D. vulgaris responses to salt adaptation with those of salt shock (short-term NaCl exposure) showed some similarity as well as a significant difference. Metabolite assays showed that glutamate and alanine were accumulated under salt adaptation, suggesting that they may be used as osmoprotectants in D. vulgaris. A conceptual model is proposed to link the observed results to currently available knowledge for further understanding the mechanisms of D. vulgaris adaptation to elevated NaCl.« less

  6. 21 CFR 868.5365 - Posture chair for cardiac or pulmonary treatment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Posture chair for cardiac or pulmonary treatment. 868.5365 Section 868.5365 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 868.5365 Posture chair...

  7. A question of merit: John Hutton Balfour, Joseph Hooker and the 'concussion' over the Edinburgh chair of botany.

    PubMed

    Bellon, Richard

    2005-03-01

    In 1845, Robert Graham's death created a vacancy for the traditionally dual appointment to the University of Edinburgh's chair of botany and the Regius Keepership of the Edinburgh Royal Botanic Garden. John Hutton Balfour and Joseph Hooker emerged as the leading candidates. The contest quickly became embroiled in long running controversies over the nature and control of Scottish university education at a time of particular social and political tension after a recent schism in Church of Scotland. The politics of the appointment were complicated by the fact that the Edinburgh Town Council (which preferred Balfour) chose the chair while the keepership was under the patronage of the Westminster government (which preferred Hooker). Balfour eventually emerged triumphant after a bitter campaign marked on all sides by intense politicking. The struggle to replace Graham provides a case study in how Victorian men of science adapted their aspirations to the practical realities of life in industrial, reforming, imperial, multinational Britain.

  8. Acid adaptation of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus induces physiological responses at membrane and cytosolic levels that improves cryotolerance.

    PubMed

    Streit, F; Delettre, J; Corrieu, G; Béal, C

    2008-10-01

    This work aimed at clarifying the physiological responses of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus CFL1 cells after exposure to acidification at the end of fermentation, in relation to their cryotolerance. Cells acidified at the end of the fermentation (pH 5.25 for 30 min) had their cryotolerance improved as compared to the reference condition (pH 6.0). By analyzing the cytosolic proteome, it was established that changes occurred in the synthesis of 21 proteins, involved in energy metabolism, nucleotide and protein synthesis and stress response. Acidification also induced a slight decrease in unsaturated to saturated and cyclic to saturated membrane fatty acid ratios. Lactobacillus bulgaricus CFL1 was able to develop a combined physiological response at both membrane and cytosolic levels. This acid adaptation was referred as a cross-protection phenomenon as it allowed the cells to become more tolerant to cold stress. This study increased knowledge concerning the physiological mechanisms that explained the cross-protection by acid adaptation. It may be useful for improving cryotolerance of lactic acid bacteria, either in cells banks or in an industrial context.

  9. Mapping the Past, Present, and Future of Teaching Leadership Chairs in Canada: A Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Andrews, David M.; Bornais, Judy A. K.; Cramer, Ken M.

    2016-01-01

    We explore the advent and initiatives of teaching leadership chairs--modeled after the Canada Research Chair framework--to instill individuals or small groups of teaching leaders at various centres across the country to stimulate educational change. In its past, present, and future, we explore the grassroots of teaching leadership chairs and their…

  10. Decision-Making Styles of Department Chairs at Public Jordanian Universities: A High-Expectancy Workforce

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khasawneh, Samer; Alomari, Aiman; Abu-tineh, Abdullah

    2011-01-01

    The primary purpose of this study was to determine the decision-making styles of department chairs employed by three public institutions in Jordan. A total of 95 department chairs participated in the study by completing the General Decision-Making Styles survey. The results indicated that department chairs under study have the rational…

  11. Effect of Furniture Weight on Carrying, Lifting, and Turning of Chairs and Desks among Elementary School Children.

    PubMed

    Purwaningrum, Lu'lu'; Funatsu, Kyotaro; Xiong, Jinghong; Rosyidi, Cucuk Nur; Muraki, Satoshi

    2015-01-01

    Rearranging furniture in elementary school classrooms encourages classroom activities. In elementary schools in Indonesia and some other developing countries, usually only one style of furniture is used for all children, and the furniture is heavy and oversized for younger children. This affects their ability to carry it. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of elementary school furniture weight and children's age on performance of three carrying tasks (carrying a chair, lifting and turning a chair on a desk, and carrying both a chair and a desk together), from the ergonomics point of view. A total of 42 schoolchildren (ages 6-9; 17 Indonesian, 25 Japanese) participated in this study. Two types of Japanese chairs (Chair A and B, weight: 3.2 kg and 3.9 kg), one type of Indonesian chair (Chair C, weight: 5.0 kg), and two types of desks (height: 58 cm and 68 cm) were used. Indonesian chairs took significantly longer time to carry than the two Japanese chairs, and there was a significant negative relationship between age and task time for Chairs B and C, but not Chair A. Success rates for lifting and turning the chair declined as age decreased and chair weight increased, but were not significantly influenced by desk height. Success rates for carrying a chair and desk together significantly decreased with heavier furniture. Children aged six showed an extremely low success rate in almost all conditions. In conclusion, children's ability to carry furniture is affected by their age and furniture characteristics, especially weight. In order to encourage classroom activities in elementary school, school furniture should be of appropriate weight. Supervision for younger children is required during classroom furniture arrangement.

  12. Effect of Furniture Weight on Carrying, Lifting, and Turning of Chairs and Desks among Elementary School Children

    PubMed Central

    Funatsu, Kyotaro; Xiong, Jinghong; Rosyidi, Cucuk Nur

    2015-01-01

    Rearranging furniture in elementary school classrooms encourages classroom activities. In elementary schools in Indonesia and some other developing countries, usually only one style of furniture is used for all children, and the furniture is heavy and oversized for younger children. This affects their ability to carry it. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of elementary school furniture weight and children’s age on performance of three carrying tasks (carrying a chair, lifting and turning a chair on a desk, and carrying both a chair and a desk together), from the ergonomics point of view. A total of 42 schoolchildren (ages 6–9; 17 Indonesian, 25 Japanese) participated in this study. Two types of Japanese chairs (Chair A and B, weight: 3.2 kg and 3.9 kg), one type of Indonesian chair (Chair C, weight: 5.0 kg), and two types of desks (height: 58 cm and 68 cm) were used. Indonesian chairs took significantly longer time to carry than the two Japanese chairs, and there was a significant negative relationship between age and task time for Chairs B and C, but not Chair A. Success rates for lifting and turning the chair declined as age decreased and chair weight increased, but were not significantly influenced by desk height. Success rates for carrying a chair and desk together significantly decreased with heavier furniture. Children aged six showed an extremely low success rate in almost all conditions. In conclusion, children’s ability to carry furniture is affected by their age and furniture characteristics, especially weight. In order to encourage classroom activities in elementary school, school furniture should be of appropriate weight. Supervision for younger children is required during classroom furniture arrangement. PMID:26053154

  13. Leadership Experiences and Characteristics of Chairs of Academic Departments of Psychiatry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keith, Samuel J.; Buckley, Peter F.

    2011-01-01

    Objective: Effective leadership in academic medicine requires a broad constellation of skills, experiences, and core values. The authors sought to describe and define these. Method: The authors conducted a web-based survey among 132 Chairs of North American departments of psychiatry. Results: Eighty-five Chairs (64%) responded to the survey, the…

  14. Dietary Antioxidants as Modifiers of Physiologic Adaptations to Exercise

    PubMed Central

    Mankowski, Robert T.; Anton, Stephen D.; Buford, Thomas W.; Leeuwenburgh, Christiaan

    2015-01-01

    Adaptive responses to exercise training (ET) are crucial in maintaining physiological homeostasis and health span. Exercise-induced aerobic bioenergetic reactions in mitochondria and cytosol increase production of reactive oxygen species (ROSs), where excess of ROS can be scavenged by enzymatic as well as non-enzymatic antioxidants to protect against deleterious oxidative stress. Free radicals, however, have recently been recognized as crucial signaling agents that promote adaptive mechanisms to ET, such as mitochondrial biogenesis, antioxidant (AO) enzyme activity defense system upregulation, insulin sensitivity, and glucose uptake in skeletal muscle. Commonly used non-enzymatic AO supplements, such as vitamins C and E, a-lipoic acid, and polyphenols, in combination with ET, have been proposed as ways to prevent exercise-induced oxidative stress and hence improve adaptation responses to endurance training. Preclinical and clinical studies to date have shown inconsistent results indicating either positive or negative effects of endurance training combined with different blends of AO supplements (mostly vitamins C and E and a-lipoic acid) on redox status, mitochondrial biogenesis pathways, and insulin sensitivity. Preclinical reports on ET combined with resveratrol, however, have shown consistent positive effects on exercise performance, mitochondrial biogenesis, and insulin sensitivity, with clinical trials reporting mixed effects. Relevant clinical studies have been few and have used inconsistent results and methodology (types of compounds, combinations, and supplementation time). The future studies would investigate the effects of specific antioxidants and other popular supplements, such as a-lipoic acid and resveratrol, on training effects in humans. Of particular importance are older adults who may be at higher risk of age-related increased oxidative stress, an impaired AO enzyme defense system, and comorbidities such as hypertension, insulin resistance, and

  15. Planning a sports training program using Adaptive Particle Swarm Optimization with emphasis on physiological constraints.

    PubMed

    Kumyaito, Nattapon; Yupapin, Preecha; Tamee, Kreangsak

    2018-01-08

    An effective training plan is an important factor in sports training to enhance athletic performance. A poorly considered training plan may result in injury to the athlete, and overtraining. Good training plans normally require expert input, which may have a cost too great for many athletes, particularly amateur athletes. The objectives of this research were to create a practical cycling training plan that substantially improves athletic performance while satisfying essential physiological constraints. Adaptive Particle Swarm Optimization using ɛ-constraint methods were used to formulate such a plan and simulate the likely performance outcomes. The physiological constraints considered in this study were monotony, chronic training load ramp rate and daily training impulse. A comparison of results from our simulations against a training plan from British Cycling, which we used as our standard, showed that our training plan outperformed the benchmark in terms of both athletic performance and satisfying all physiological constraints.

  16. The interruption of thyroid and interrenal and the inter-hormonal interference in fish: does it promote physiologic adaptation or maladaptation?

    PubMed

    Peter, Valsa S; Peter, M C Subhash

    2011-12-01

    Endocrines, the chief components of chemical centers which produce hormones in tune with intrinsic and extrinsic clues, create a chemical bridge between the organism and the environment. In fishes also hormones integrate and modulate many physiologic functions and its synthesis, release, biological actions and metabolic clearance are well regulated. Consequently, thyroid hormones (THs) and cortisol, the products of thyroid and interrenal axes, have been identified for their common integrative actions on metabolic and osmotic functions in fish. On the other hand, many anthropogenic chemical substances, popularly known as endocrine disrupting chemicals, have been shown to disrupt the hormone-receptor signaling pathways in a number fish species. These chemicals which are known for their ability to induce endocrine disruption particularly on thyroid and interrenals can cause malfunction or maladaptation of many vital processes which are involved in the development, growth and reproduction in fish. On the contrary, evidence is presented that the endocrine interrupting agents (EIAs) can cause interruption of thyroid and interrenals, resulting in physiologic compensatory mechanisms which can be adaptive, though such hormonal interactions are less recognized in fishes. The EIAs of physical, chemical and biological origins can specifically interrupt and modify the hormonal interactions between THs and cortisol, resulting in specific patterns of inter-hormonal interference. The physiologic analysis of these inter-hormonal interruptions during acclimation and post-acclimation to intrinsic or extrinsic EIAs reveals that combinations of anti-hormonal, pro-hormonal or stati-hormonal interference may help the fish to fine-tune their metabolic and osmotic performances as part of physiologic adaptation. This novel hypothesis on the phenomenon of inter-hormonal interference and its consequent physiologic interference during thyroid and interrenal interruption thus forms the basis of

  17. High prevalence of prior contact sports play and concussion among orthopedic and neurosurgical department chairs.

    PubMed

    Sone, Je Yeong; Courtney-Kay Lamb, S; Techar, Kristina; Dammavalam, Vikalpa; Uppal, Mohit; Williams, Cedric; Bergman, Thomas; Tupper, David; Ort, Paul; Samadani, Uzma

    2018-04-27

    OBJECTIVE Increased understanding of the consequences of traumatic brain injury has heightened concerns about youth participation in contact sports. This study investigated the prevalence of high school and collegiate contact sports play and concussion history among surgical department chairs. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was administered to 107 orthopedic and 74 neurosurgery chairs. Responses were compared to published historical population norms for contact sports (high school 27.74%, collegiate 1.44%), football (high school 10.91%, collegiate 0.76%), and concussion prevalence (12%). One-proportion Z-tests, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression were used to analyze differences. RESULTS High school contact sports participation was 2.35-fold higher (65.3%, p < 0.001) for orthopedic chairs and 1.73-fold higher (47.9%, p = 0.0018) for neurosurgery chairs than for their high school peers. Collegiate contact sports play was 31.0-fold higher (44.7%, p < 0.001) for orthopedic chairs and 15.1-fold higher (21.7%, p < 0.001) for neurosurgery chairs than for their college peers. Orthopedic chairs had a 4.30-fold higher rate of high school football participation (46.9%, p < 0.001) while neurosurgery chairs reported a 3.05-fold higher rate (33.3%, p < 0.001) than their high school peers. Orthopedic chairs reported a 28.1-fold higher rate of collegiate football participation (21.3%, p < 0.001) and neurosurgery chairs reported an 8.58-fold higher rate (6.5%, p < 0.001) compared to their college peers. The rate at which orthopedic (42.6%, p < 0.001) and neurosurgical (42.4%, p < 0.001) chairs reported having at least 1 concussion in their lifetime was significantly higher than the reported prevalence in the general population. After correction for worst possible ascertainment bias, all results except high school contact sports participation remained significant. CONCLUSIONS The high prevalence of youth contact sports play and concussion among surgical specialty

  18. The Real Work of Department Chair.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bowman, Richard F., Jr.

    2002-01-01

    Argues that secondary and post secondary academic department chairs are both managers and leaders whose real work is to manage conversational inquiry that engages others in creating possibilities, breakthroughs, and a sustainable future for their common enterprise. Describes leadership capabilities demanded by this work; well-honed communication…

  19. An office chair to influence the sitting behavior of office workers.

    PubMed

    Goossens, R H M; Netten, M P; Van der Doelen, B

    2012-01-01

    Since the introduction of ergonomic guidelines in the design of office chairs, a lot of effort has been put in designing these office chairs accordingly. Because these features all have to be adjusted in different ways (mostly a knob underneath the seat surface), and because every office chair offers different solutions, often users do not use all of the adjustments, and thus do not use the office chair an the optimal ergonomic way. The aim of this paper is to study the influence of feedback on sitting habits of office workers in a field test during 4 weeks. 40 office workers were selected for this test (13 male, 27 female). They were divided in three groups. A control group, a group that received a sitting instruction and a group that received sitting instruction and feedback on their posture every hour that they sit. The results show that there is an effect in average increase in basic posture on both the group that received instruction and the group that received feedback. This effect decreases over time. There was no effect in the control group.

  20. Understanding the physiology and adaptation of staphylococci: a post-genomic approach.

    PubMed

    Becker, Karsten; Bierbaum, Gabriele; von Eiff, Christof; Engelmann, Susanne; Götz, Friedrich; Hacker, Jörg; Hecker, Michael; Peters, Georg; Rosenstein, Ralf; Ziebuhr, Wilma

    2007-11-01

    Staphylococcus aureus as well as coagulase-negative staphylococci are medically highly important pathogens characterized by an increasing resistance rate toward many antibiotics. Although normally being skin and mucosa commensals, some staphylococcal species and strains have the capacity to cause a wide range of infectious diseases. Many of these infections affect immunocompromised patients in hospitals. However, community-acquired staphylococcal infections due to resistant strains are also currently on the rise. In the light of this development, there is an urgent need for novel anti-staphylococcal therapeutic and prevention strategies for which a better understanding of the physiology of these bacteria is an essential prerequisite. Within the past years, staphylococci have been in the focus of genomic research, resulting in the determination and publication of a range of full-genome sequences of different staphylococcal species and strains which provided the basis for the design and application of DNA microarrays and other genomic tools. Here we summarize the results of the project group 'Staphylococci' within the research network 'Pathogenomics' giving new insights into the genome structure, molecular epidemiology, physiology, and genetic adaptation of both S. aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci.

  1. Cox's chair: 'a moral and a medical mean in the treatment of maniacs'.

    PubMed

    Wade, Nicholas J; Norrsell, U; Presly, A

    2005-03-01

    Two hundred years ago Joseph Cox published his book on the treatment of insanity. His novel technique was rotating the body in a specially designed chair. Initially modest and later extravagant claims were made for the therapeutic benefit of 'Cox's chair'. It was widely adopted in Europe in the first decades of the nineteenth century, but lost favour thereafter. Its benefits have proved to be scientific rather than medical because it was adopted by students of the senses to investigate vertigo; a century later it re-emerged as the Bárány chair for the clinical assessment of vestibular function. The legacy of Cox's chair, and its related treatment of swinging, are to be found in funfairs throughout the world.

  2. The analytic setting today: using the couch or the chair?

    PubMed

    Wiener, Jan

    2015-09-01

    This paper re-visits Murray Jackson's 1961 paper in the Journal of Analytical Psychology, 'Chair, couch and countertransference', with the aim of exploring the role of the couch for Jungian analysts in clinical practice today. Within the Society of Analytical Psychology (SAP) and some other London-based societies, there has been an evolution of practice from face-to-face sessions with the patient in the chair, as was Jung's preference, to a mode of practice where patients use the couch with the analyst sitting to the side rather than behind, as has been the tradition in psychoanalysis. Fordham was the founding member of the SAP and it was because of his liaison with psychoanalysis and psychoanalysts that this cultural shift came about. Using clinical examples, the author explores the couch/chair question in terms of her own practice and the internal setting as a structure in her mind. With reference to Bleger's (2013) paper 'Psychoanalysis of the psychoanalytic setting', the author discusses how the analytic setting, including use of the couch or the chair, can act as a silent container for the most primitive aspects of the patient's psyche which will only emerge in analysis when the setting changes or is breached. © 2015, The Society of Analytical Psychology.

  3. The state of the art in evaluating the performance of department chairs and division heads.

    PubMed

    Dunning, David G; Durham, Timothy M; Aksu, Mert N; Lange, Brian M

    2007-04-01

    This study explores the little understood process of evaluating the performance of department chairs/division heads in dental schools. Specifically, this research aimed to elucidate the methods, processes, and outcomes related to the job performance of department chairs/division heads. Forty-three deans and 306 chairs completed surveys with both close-ended and open-ended questions. In addition, ten deans and ten chairs were interviewed. Results indicate that 80 to 90 percent of department chairs are formally evaluated, although as many as 50 percent may lack job descriptions. Recommended best practices for performance appraisal--such as having at least yearly appraisals, holding face-to-face meetings, and setting specific, personal performance objectives/benchmarks for chairs--are being used in most schools. Still, there is much room to improve appraisals by incorporating other recommended practices. Overall high levels of satisfaction were reported by both chairs and deans for the process and outcomes of appraisals. Qualitative data showed some convergence of opinions about appraisals with the notable exception of informal feedback. We explore some implications of these results, especially as they relate to improving performance appraisals.

  4. The Chair and the New President: Getting the First Months Right

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Riggs, Janet Morgan; Duelks, Robert

    2012-01-01

    Gettysburg College President Janet Morgan Riggs and Board Chair Robert N. Duelks are both members of the Gettysburg class of 1977, but did not know each other as students. As a member of the college's board of trustees, Duelks chaired the presidential search committee that selected Riggs as Gettysburg's 14th president in 2009. Then, one year after…

  5. Radiation Pattern of Chair Armed Microstrip Antenna

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mishra, Rabindra Kishore; Sahu, Kumar Satyabrat

    2016-12-01

    This work analyzes planar antenna conformable to chair arm shaped surfaces for WLAN application. Closed form expressions for its radiation pattern are developed and validated using measurements on prototype and commercial EM code at 2.4 GHz.

  6. Chair alarm for patient fall prevention based on gesture recognition and interactivity.

    PubMed

    Knight, Heather; Lee, Jae-Kyu; Ma, Hongshen

    2008-01-01

    The Gesture Recognition Interactive Technology (GRiT) Chair Alarm aims to prevent patient falls from chairs and wheelchairs by recognizing the gesture of a patient attempting to stand. Patient falls are one of the greatest causes of injury in hospitals. Current chair and bed exit alarm systems are inadequate because of insufficient notification, high false-alarm rate, and long trigger delays. The GRiT chair alarm uses an array of capacitive proximity sensors and pressure sensors to create a map of the patient's sitting position, which is then processed using gesture recognition algorithms to determine when a patient is attempting to stand and to alarm the care providers. This system also uses a range of voice and light feedback to encourage the patient to remain seated and/or to make use of the system's integrated nurse-call function. This system can be seamlessly integrated into existing hospital WiFi networks to send notifications and approximate patient location through existing nurse call systems.

  7. [Self-made "electric chair" for sexually motivated child abuse of children].

    PubMed

    Rothschild, Markus A; Vendura, Klaus; Kell, Gerald

    2007-01-01

    A 52-year-old man had altered a wooden folding chair by placing two electrodes and a circuit underneath the seat. Using a remote control, he was able to give electric shocks to a person sitting on the chair. He used this device on more than 50 children, video-taping their reactions for his own pleasure. There are no reports that any of the children suffered a lasting damage to their health. The construction as well as the function and the electrical parameters of the chair were examined by forensic specialists. According to their expertise, the construction was not able to cause a potentially life-threatening condition when used with healthy children. The perpetrator was convicted for bodily harm etc.

  8. Adapting APSIM to model the physiology and genetics of complex adaptive traits in field crops.

    PubMed

    Hammer, Graeme L; van Oosterom, Erik; McLean, Greg; Chapman, Scott C; Broad, Ian; Harland, Peter; Muchow, Russell C

    2010-05-01

    Progress in molecular plant breeding is limited by the ability to predict plant phenotype based on its genotype, especially for complex adaptive traits. Suitably constructed crop growth and development models have the potential to bridge this predictability gap. A generic cereal crop growth and development model is outlined here. It is designed to exhibit reliable predictive skill at the crop level while also introducing sufficient physiological rigour for complex phenotypic responses to become emergent properties of the model dynamics. The approach quantifies capture and use of radiation, water, and nitrogen within a framework that predicts the realized growth of major organs based on their potential and whether the supply of carbohydrate and nitrogen can satisfy that potential. The model builds on existing approaches within the APSIM software platform. Experiments on diverse genotypes of sorghum that underpin the development and testing of the adapted crop model are detailed. Genotypes differing in height were found to differ in biomass partitioning among organs and a tall hybrid had significantly increased radiation use efficiency: a novel finding in sorghum. Introducing these genetic effects associated with plant height into the model generated emergent simulated phenotypic differences in green leaf area retention during grain filling via effects associated with nitrogen dynamics. The relevance to plant breeding of this capability in complex trait dissection and simulation is discussed.

  9. Specific flexion-related low back pain and sitting: comparison of seated discomfort on two different chairs.

    PubMed

    O'Keeffe, Mary; Dankaerts, Wim; O'Sullivan, Peter; O'Sullivan, Leonard; O'Sullivan, Kieran

    2013-01-01

    No study has examined the effectiveness of prescribing seating modifications according to the individual clinical presentation of people with low back pain (LBP). A dynamic, forward-inclined chair ('Back App') can reduce seated paraspinal muscle activation among pain-free participants. This study examined 21 participants whose LBP was specifically aggravated by prolonged sitting and was eased by standing. Low back discomfort (LBD) and overall body discomfort (OBD) were assessed every 15 min while participants sat for 1 h on both the dynamic, forward-inclined chair and a standard office chair. LBD increased significantly more (p = 0.005) on the standard office chair, with no significant difference (p = 0.178) in OBD between the chairs. The results demonstrate that, in a specific flexion-related subgroup of people with LBP, increased LBD during sitting can be minimised through modifying chair design. Mechanisms that minimise seated discomfort may be of relevance in LBP management, as part of a biopsychosocial management plan. This study examined low back discomfort (LBD) during a typing task among people with low back pain (LBP). Sitting on a dynamic, forward-inclined chair resulted in less seated LBD than sitting on a standard office chair. Further research is required to examine the long-term effectiveness of ergonomics interventions in LBP.

  10. Local Adaptation to Altitude Underlies Divergent Thermal Physiology in Tropical Killifishes of the Genus Aphyosemion

    PubMed Central

    McKenzie, David J.; Estivales, Guillan; Svendsen, Jon C.; Steffensen, John F.; Agnèse, Jean-François

    2013-01-01

    In watersheds of equatorial West Africa, monophyletic groups of killifish species (genus Aphyosemion) occur in discrete altitudinal ranges, low altitude species (LA, sea level to ∼350 m) or high altitude species (HA, 350 to 900 m). We investigated the hypothesis that local adaptation to altitude by the LA and HA species would be revealed as divergent effects of temperature on their physiological energetics. Two species from each group (mass ∼350 mg) were acclimated to 19, 25 and 28°C, with 19 and 28°C estimated to be outside the thermal envelope for LA or HA, respectively, in the wild. Wild-caught animals (F0 generation) were compared with animals raised in captivity at 25°C (F1 generation) to investigate the contribution of adaptation versus plasticity. Temperature significantly increased routine metabolic rate in all groups and generations. However, LA and HA species differed in the effects of temperature on their ability to process a meal. At 25°C, the specific dynamic action (SDA) response was completed within 8 h in all groups, but acclimation to temperatures beyond the thermal envelope caused profound declines in SDA performance. At 19°C, the LA required ∼14 h to complete the SDA, whereas the HA required only ∼7 h. The opposite effect was observed at 28°C. This effect was evident in both F0 and F1. Reaction norms for effects of temperature on SDA therefore revealed a trade-off, with superior performance at warmer temperatures by LA being associated with inferior performance at cooler temperatures, and vice-versa in HA. The data indicate that divergent physiological responses to temperature in the LA and HA species reflect local adaptation to the thermal regime in their habitat, and that local adaptation to one thermal environment trades off against performance in another. PMID:23349857

  11. Local adaptation to altitude underlies divergent thermal physiology in tropical killifishes of the genus Aphyosemion.

    PubMed

    McKenzie, David J; Estivales, Guillan; Svendsen, Jon C; Steffensen, John F; Agnèse, Jean-François

    2013-01-01

    In watersheds of equatorial West Africa, monophyletic groups of killifish species (genus Aphyosemion) occur in discrete altitudinal ranges, low altitude species (LA, sea level to ∼350 m) or high altitude species (HA, 350 to 900 m). We investigated the hypothesis that local adaptation to altitude by the LA and HA species would be revealed as divergent effects of temperature on their physiological energetics. Two species from each group (mass ∼350 mg) were acclimated to 19, 25 and 28°C, with 19 and 28°C estimated to be outside the thermal envelope for LA or HA, respectively, in the wild. Wild-caught animals (F0 generation) were compared with animals raised in captivity at 25°C (F1 generation) to investigate the contribution of adaptation versus plasticity. Temperature significantly increased routine metabolic rate in all groups and generations. However, LA and HA species differed in the effects of temperature on their ability to process a meal. At 25°C, the specific dynamic action (SDA) response was completed within 8 h in all groups, but acclimation to temperatures beyond the thermal envelope caused profound declines in SDA performance. At 19°C, the LA required ∼14 h to complete the SDA, whereas the HA required only ∼7 h. The opposite effect was observed at 28°C. This effect was evident in both F0 and F1. Reaction norms for effects of temperature on SDA therefore revealed a trade-off, with superior performance at warmer temperatures by LA being associated with inferior performance at cooler temperatures, and vice-versa in HA. The data indicate that divergent physiological responses to temperature in the LA and HA species reflect local adaptation to the thermal regime in their habitat, and that local adaptation to one thermal environment trades off against performance in another.

  12. Effectiveness of therapy ball chairs on classroom participation in children with autism spectrum disorders.

    PubMed

    Bagatell, Nancy; Mirigliani, Gina; Patterson, Chrissa; Reyes, Yadira; Test, Lisa

    2010-01-01

    A single-subject design was used to assess the effectiveness of therapy ball chairs on classroom participation in 6 boys with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The sensory processing pattern of each participant was assessed using the Sensory Processing Measure. Data on in-seat behavior and engagement were collected using digital video recordings during Circle Time. During baseline, participants sat on chairs. During intervention, participants sat on therapy ball chairs. Social validity was assessed by means of a questionnaire completed by the teacher. Each child demonstrated a unique response. The ball chair appeared to have a positive effect on in-seat behavior for the child who had the most extreme vestibular-proprioceptive-seeking behaviors. Children with poor postural stability were less engaged when sitting on the therapy ball chair. The results illuminate the complex nature of children with ASD and the importance of using sound clinical reasoning skills when recommending sensory strategies for the classroom.

  13. Annual Energy Savings and Thermal Comfort of Autonomously Heated and Cooled Office Chairs

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

    Carmichael, Scott; Booten, Chuck; Robertson, Joseph

    Energy use in offices buildings is largely driven by air conditioning demands. But the optimal temperature is not the same for all building occupants, leading to the infamous thermostat war. And many occupants have independently overcome building comfort weaknesses with their own space heaters or fans. NREL tested is a customized office chair that automatically heats and cools the occupant along the seat and chair back according to the occupants' personal preferences. This product is shown to deliver markedly better comfort at room temperatures well above typical office cooling setpoints. Experimental subjects reported satisfaction in these elevated air temperatures, partlymore » because the chair's cooling effect was tuned to their own individual needs. Simulation of the chair in office buildings around the U.S. shows that energy can be saved everywhere, with impacts varying due to the climate. Total building HVAC energy savings exceeded 10% in hot-dry climate zones. Due to high product cost, simple payback for the chair we studied is beyond the expected chair life. We then understood the need to establish cost-performance targets for comfort delivery packages. NREL derived several hypothetical energy/cost/comfort targets for personal comfort product systems. In some climate regions around the U.S., these show the potential for office building HVAC energy savings in excess of 20%. This report documents this research, providing an overview of the research team's methods and results while also identifying areas for future research building upon the findings.« less

  14. Eccentric action of muscles: physiology, injury, and adaptation.

    PubMed

    Stauber, W T

    1989-01-01

    Eccentric muscle action deserves special consideration from the standpoint of physiology, adaptation, and training. The function of muscles as shock absorbers or springs seems to be quite different from other actions described in classical descriptions of muscle biology. This uniqueness certainly requires a more careful understanding of muscle as a unit consisting of myofibers and fascia which may work together or in opposition in response to chronic or acute stimuli. In addition, the stretch-shortening cycle is a special case of its own. However, from the standpoint of maximum human performance, there remain tremendous gaps in our understanding of the role of eccentric muscle action and its use in athletic training. How much is good? Does microfibrosis represent a problem of overtraining and eventually limit performance, or is it advantageous for success? Is the body-builder really developing muscle or connective tissue separating muscles? How does eccentric muscle action sometimes produce pain but not always? It would appear that much work is needed before a complete understanding of eccentric muscle action is obtained. This brief review has been designed to encourage research, argument, and discussion.

  15. The usage of a hand-made chair at home for children with moderate to severe cerebral palsy: preliminary study.

    PubMed

    Siritaratiwat, Wantana; Inthachom, Rumrada; Warnset, Somporn

    2012-02-01

    Specially designed chairs are expensive. A hand-made chair easily constructed from recycled material can be an alternative option. However data on the feasibility of hand-made chair use at home is limited. The present study aimed to explore the usage of a hand-made chair at home in children with moderate to severe motor disabilities. Seventeen children with cerebral palsy were recruited. Main caregivers were interviewed regarding the possibility of using the chair at home. Home visits and observations were also performed to explain how the chair had been used at home. Nine children (52.9%) used the chair everyday. Seven of these nine children were seated at least 30 minutes each time and two to three times per day. The total time that children spent on the hand-made chair each day ranged from 10 to 90 minutes. The severity of disability and main caregivers' workload may explain an inadequate usage of the hand-made chair. A few modifications may help to improve the applicability of the hand-made chair.

  16. Association appoints new RCN A&E Chair.

    PubMed

    1999-09-01

    Lynda Holt, A&E Clinical Manager at Warwick Hospital has become Chair of the RCN A&E Nursing Association following the resignation of Karen Castille who has been seconded to the Department of Health (England) to work on the A&E modernisation programme.

  17. Democratic Leadership and Faculty Empowerment at the Community College: A Theoretical Model for the Department Chair.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McArthur, Ronald C.

    2002-01-01

    Argues that community college organization at the department level presents challenging leadership issues for the newly appointed department chair. Asserts that existing culture, which looks upon the chair with some mistrust, demands chairs who behave as peers rather than military commanders. Concludes that democratic leadership is the most…

  18. Sedative music reduces anxiety and pain during chair rest after open-heart surgery.

    PubMed

    Voss, Jo A; Good, Marion; Yates, Bernice; Baun, Mara M; Thompson, Austin; Hertzog, Melody

    2004-11-01

    Open-heart surgery patients report anxiety and pain with chair rest despite opioid analgesic use. The effectiveness of non-pharmacological complementary methods (sedative music and scheduled rest) in reducing anxiety and pain during chair rest was tested using a three-group pretest-posttest experimental design with 61 adult postoperative open-heart surgery patients. Patients were randomly assigned to receive 30 min of sedative music (N=19), scheduled rest (N=21), or treatment as usual (N=21) during chair rest. Anxiety, pain sensation, and pain distress were measured with visual analogue scales at chair rest initiation and 30 min later. Repeated measures MANOVA indicated significant group differences in anxiety, pain sensation, and pain distress from pretest to posttest, P<0.001. Univariate repeated measures ANOVA (P< or =0.001) and post hoc dependent t-tests indicated that in the sedative music and scheduled rest groups, anxiety, pain sensation, and pain distress all decreased significantly, P<0.001-0.015; while in the treatment as usual group, no significant differences occurred. Further, independent t-tests indicated significantly less posttest anxiety, pain sensation, and pain distress in the sedative music group than in the scheduled rest or treatment as usual groups (P<0.001-0.006). Thus, in this randomized control trial, sedative music was more effective than scheduled rest and treatment as usual in decreasing anxiety and pain in open-heart surgery patients during first time chair rest. Patients should be encouraged to use sedative music as an adjuvant to medication during chair rest.

  19. Chair rise capacity and associated factors in older home-care clients.

    PubMed

    Tiihonen, Miia; Hartikainen, Sirpa; Nykänen, Irma

    2017-07-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of older home-care clients to perform the five times chair rise test and associated personal characteristics, nutritional status and functioning. The study sample included 267 home-care clients aged ≥75 years living in Eastern and Central Finland. The home-care clients were interviewed at home by home-care nurses, nutritionists and pharmacists. The collected data contained sociodemographic factors, functional ability (Barthel Index, IADL), cognitive functioning (MMSE), nutritional status (MNA), depressive symptoms (GDS-15), medical diagnoses and drug use. The primary outcome was the ability to perform the five times chair rise test. Fifty-one per cent ( n=135) of the home-care clients were unable to complete the five times chair rise test. Twenty-three per cent ( n=64) of the home-care clients had good chair rise capacity (≤17 seconds). In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, fewer years of education (odds ratio [OR] = 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-1.18), lower ADL (OR = 1.54, 95% CI 1.34-1.78) and low MNA scores (OR = 1.12, 95% CI 1.04-1.20) and a higher number of co-morbidities (OR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.02-1.43) were associated with inability to complete the five times chair rise test. Poor functional mobility, which was associated with less education, a high number of co-morbidities and poor nutritional status, was common among older home-care clients. To maintain and to prevent further decline in functional mobility, physical training and nutritional services are needed. (NutOrMed, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02214758).

  20. Jaczko to resign as chair of Nuclear Regulatory Commission

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    2012-05-01

    Gregory Jaczko, chair of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), announced on 21 May that he will resign once his successor is appointed. His resignation will end a stormy 3-year chairmanship during which he was accused of bullying NRC staff, lying to Congress, and being too close to the political process. Jaczko formerly served as science advisor to Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.). As NRC chair, Jaczko halted the commission's license application review for storing nuclear waste at Nevada's Yucca Mountain. In addition, during his NRC tenure the commission focused on identifying and implementing lessons from Japan's Fukushima Daiichi reactors damaged by the 2011 tsunami.

  1. 21 CFR 890.3110 - Electric positioning chair.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Electric positioning chair. 890.3110 Section 890.3110 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Prosthetic Devices § 890.3110 Electric...

  2. 21 CFR 890.3110 - Electric positioning chair.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Electric positioning chair. 890.3110 Section 890.3110 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Prosthetic Devices § 890.3110 Electric...

  3. 21 CFR 890.3110 - Electric positioning chair.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Electric positioning chair. 890.3110 Section 890.3110 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Prosthetic Devices § 890.3110 Electric...

  4. 21 CFR 890.3110 - Electric positioning chair.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Electric positioning chair. 890.3110 Section 890.3110 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Prosthetic Devices § 890.3110 Electric...

  5. 21 CFR 890.3110 - Electric positioning chair.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Electric positioning chair. 890.3110 Section 890.3110 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Prosthetic Devices § 890.3110 Electric...

  6. Physiological Self-Regulation and Adaptive Automation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Prinzell, Lawrence J.; Pope, Alan T.; Freeman, Frederick G.

    2007-01-01

    Adaptive automation has been proposed as a solution to current problems of human-automation interaction. Past research has shown the potential of this advanced form of automation to enhance pilot engagement and lower cognitive workload. However, there have been concerns voiced regarding issues, such as automation surprises, associated with the use of adaptive automation. This study examined the use of psychophysiological self-regulation training with adaptive automation that may help pilots deal with these problems through the enhancement of cognitive resource management skills. Eighteen participants were assigned to 3 groups (self-regulation training, false feedback, and control) and performed resource management, monitoring, and tracking tasks from the Multiple Attribute Task Battery. The tracking task was cycled between 3 levels of task difficulty (automatic, adaptive aiding, manual) on the basis of the electroencephalogram-derived engagement index. The other two tasks remained in automatic mode that had a single automation failure. Those participants who had received self-regulation training performed significantly better and reported lower National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index scores than participants in the false feedback and control groups. The theoretical and practical implications of these results for adaptive automation are discussed.

  7. Administrative Challenges and Response Strategies to the Job Performance of Marketing Department Chairs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dyer, Beverly G.; Miller, Michael T.

    This study reports on the job challenges and corresponding response strategies that department chairs at graduate and undergraduate colleges and universities encounter and rely upon. Literature and research related to marketing department chairs, marketing education, and marketing majors indicates that business schools have come under attack by…

  8. Physiological Tendon Thickness Adaptation in Adolescent Elite Athletes: A Longitudinal Study

    PubMed Central

    Cassel, Michael; Intziegianni, Konstantina; Risch, Lucie; Müller, Steffen; Engel, Tilman; Mayer, Frank

    2017-01-01

    Increased Achilles (AT) and Patellar tendon (PT) thickness in adolescent athletes compared to non-athletes could be shown. However, it is unclear, if changes are of pathological or physiological origin due to training. The aim of this study was to determine physiological AT and PT thickness adaptation in adolescent elite athletes compared to non-athletes, considering sex and sport. In a longitudinal study design with two measurement days (M1/M2) within an interval of 3.2 ± 0.8 years, 131 healthy adolescent elite athletes (m/f: 90/41) out of 13 different sports and 24 recreationally active controls (m/f: 6/18) were included. Both ATs and PTs were measured at standardized reference points. Athletes were divided into 4 sport categories [ball (B), combat (C), endurance (E) and explosive strength sports (S)]. Descriptive analysis (mean ± SD) and statistical testing for group differences was performed (α = 0.05). AT thickness did not differ significantly between measurement days, neither in athletes (5.6 ± 0.7 mm/5.6 ± 0.7 mm) nor in controls (4.8 ± 0.4 mm/4.9 ± 0.5 mm, p > 0.05). For PTs, athletes presented increased thickness at M2 (M1: 3.5 ± 0.5 mm, M2: 3.8 ± 0.5 mm, p < 0.001). In general, males had thicker ATs and PTs than females (p < 0.05). Considering sex and sports, only male athletes from B, C, and S showed significant higher PT-thickness at M2 compared to controls (p ≤ 0.01). Sport-specific adaptation regarding tendon thickness in adolescent elite athletes can be detected in PTs among male athletes participating in certain sports with high repetitive jumping and strength components. Sonographic microstructural analysis might provide an enhanced insight into tendon material properties enabling the differentiation of sex and influence of different sports. PMID:29075203

  9. The departmental chair in Western medicine: tale of the first and foremost. Historical vignette.

    PubMed

    Manjila, Sunil; Rengachary, Setti; Xavier, Andrew R; Guthikonda, Murali

    2009-11-01

    The use of the term "chair" in medical literature probably started in the Late Middle Ages with the Italian anatomist Mondino de Liuzzi. History reveals the term's origin at Bologna, one of the oldest degree-granting universities in Europe. Nobody has been shown in documented literature before Mondino to have reached the level of chair, the zenith of hierarchy in Western scholastic medicine. Mondino is remembered for his preparation of the Anathomia, a compendium for medical scholars, and his description of several anatomical structures and their functions, especially from a forensic perspective. Starting out as a demonstrator displaying various anatomical structures to medical students, Mondino worked his way up to becoming the first documented chair in medical history, and indeed physically occupying the chair. Marking an epoch in academia with his revised method of medical teaching and creative interaction with surgical colleagues, he carved a niche for himself and his department with his illustrious chairmanship. The authors revisit the history of the "chair" as a title and position in the medieval anatomical period and discuss the career of the first and foremost in the documented medical literature.

  10. Three essays on the economics of science policy: The impact of funding, collaboration and research chairs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mirnezami, Seyed Reza

    This thesis studies the determinants that influence the number of citations, the effect of having a research collaboration with top-funded scientists on scientific productivity, and the effect of holding a research chair on scientific productivity. Based on a review study by Bornmann and Daniel (2008), one can argue that non-scientific factors determining the decision to cite do not significantly alter the role of citation as a measure of research impact. Assuming that the number of citations is a good measure for research impact and, in turn, for a certain kind of quality, we showed that the number of articles and the visibility of a researcher, the impact factor of the journal, the size of the research team, and the institutional setting of the university are the important determinants of citation counts. However, we have found that there is no significant effect of public funding and gender in most of the domains examined. The point that funding amount is not a significant determinant of citation counts does not necessarily contradict the positive effect of funding on scientific productivity. We also developed a theoretical model and proposed some hypotheses about the effect of collaboration with top-funded scientists on scientific productivity. We then validated the hypotheses with empirical analysis and showed that such collaboration has a positive effect on scientific productivity. This significant effect may exist through different channels: transfer of tacit knowledge, more scientific publications, economy of scale in knowledge production because of better research equipment, and expanded research network. The results also verified the positive effect of funding, the positive effect of networking (measured by number of co-authors), the inverted U-shaped effect of age, and the fewer number of publications by women compared to men. Finally, we made a distinction between different attributes of research chairs and their effect on scientific productivity. One

  11. Predicting animal δ18O: Accounting for diet and physiological adaptation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kohn, Matthew J.

    1996-12-01

    Theoretical predictions and measured isotope variations indicate that diet and physiological adaptation have a significant impact on animals δ18O and cannot be ignored. A generalized model is therefore developed for the prediction of animal body water and phosphate δ18O to incorporate these factors quantitatively. Application of the model reproduces most published compositions and compositional trends for mammals and birds. A moderate dependence of animal δ18O on humidity is predicted for drought-tolerant animals, and the correlation between humidity and North American deer bone composition as corrected for local meteoric water is predicted within the scatter of the data. In contrast to an observed strong correlation between kangaroo δ18O and humidity (Δδ18O/Δh ∼ 2.5± 0.4‰/10%r.h.), the predicted humidity dependence is only 1.3 - 1.7‰/10% r.h., and it is inferred that drinking water in hot dry areas of Australia is enriched in 18O over rainwater. Differences in physiology and water turnover readily explain the observed differences in δ18O for several herbivore genera in East Africa, excepting antelopes. Antelope models are more sensitive to biological fractionations, and adjustments to the flux of transcutaneous water vapor within experimentally measured ranges allows their δ18O values to be matched. Models of the seasonal changes of forage composition for two regions with dissimilar climates show that significant seasonal variations in animal isotope composition are expected, and that animals with different physiologies and diets track climate differently. Analysis of different genera with disparate sensitivities to surface water and humidity will allow the most accurate quantification of past climate changes.

  12. Chair Perceptions of Trust between Mentor and Mentee in Online Doctoral Dissertation Mentoring

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rademaker, Linnea L.; Duffy, Jennifer O'Connor; Wetzler, Elizabeth; Zaikina-Montgomery, Helen

    2016-01-01

    We explored online dissertation chairs' perceptions of trust in the mentor-mentee relationship, as trust was identified as a crucial factor in the success of doctoral students. Through the implementation of a multiple-case study, and a qualitative, online questionnaire, and through qualitative data analysis, we discovered 16 chairs' perceptions of…

  13. Adaptive divergence in a scleractinian coral: physiological adaptation of Seriatopora hystrix to shallow and deep reef habitats

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Divergent natural selection across environmental gradients has been acknowledged as a major driver of population and species divergence, however its role in the diversification of scleractinian corals remains poorly understood. Recently, it was demonstrated that the brooding coral Seriatopora hystrix and its algal endosymbionts (Symbiodinium) are genetically partitioned across reef environments (0-30 m) on the far northern Great Barrier Reef. Here, we explore the potential mechanisms underlying this differentiation and assess the stability of host-symbiont associations through a reciprocal transplantation experiment across habitats ('Back Reef', 'Upper Slope' and 'Deep Slope'), in combination with molecular (mtDNA and ITS2-DGGE) and photo-physiological analyses (respirometry and HPLC). Results The highest survival rates were observed for native transplants (measured 14 months after transplantation), indicating differential selective pressures between habitats. Host-symbiont assemblages remained stable during the experimental duration, demonstrating that the ability to "shuffle" or "switch" symbionts is restricted in S. hystrix. Photo-physiological differences were observed between transplants originating from the shallow and deep habitats, with indirect evidence of an increased heterotrophic capacity in native deep-water transplants (from the 'Deep Slope' habitat). Similar photo-acclimatisation potential was observed between transplants originating from the two shallow habitats ('Back Reef' and 'Upper Slope'), highlighting that their genetic segregation over depth may be due to other, non-photo-physiological traits under selection. Conclusions This study confirms that the observed habitat partitioning of S. hystrix (and associated Symbiodinium) is reflective of adaptive divergence along a depth gradient. Gene flow appears to be reduced due to divergent selection, highlighting the potential role of ecological mechanisms, in addition to physical dispersal

  14. Cox's Chair Revisited: Can Spinning Alter Mood States?

    PubMed

    Winter, Lotta; Wollmer, M Axel; Laurens, Jean; Straumann, Dominik; Kruger, Tillmann H C

    2013-01-01

    Although there is clinical and historical evidence for a vivid relation between the vestibular and emotional systems, the neuroscientific underpinnings are poorly understood. The "spin doctors" of the nineteenth century used spinning chairs (e.g., Cox's chair) to treat conditions of mania or elevated arousal. On the basis of a recent study on a hexapod motion-simulator, in this prototypic investigation we explore the impact of yaw stimulation on a spinning chair on mood states. Using a controlled experimental stimulation paradigm on a unique 3-D-turntable at the University of Zurich we included 11 healthy subjects and assessed parameters of mood states and autonomic nervous system activity. The Multidimensional Mood State Questionnaire and Visual Analog Scales (VAS) were used to assess changes of mood in response to a 100 s yaw stimulation. In addition heart rate was continuously monitored during the experiment. Subjects indicated feeling less "good," "relaxed," "comfortable," and "calm" and reported an increased alertness after vestibular stimulation. However, there were no objective adverse effects of the stimulation. Accordingly, heart rate did not significantly differ in response to the stimulation. This is the first study in a highly controlled setting using the historical approach of stimulating the vestibular system to impact mood states. It demonstrates a specific interaction between the vestibular system and mood states and thereby supports recent experimental findings with a different stimulation technique. These results may inspire future research on the clinical potential of this method.

  15. An Interview With Chapman Conference Chair Venkat Lakshmi

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McCarter-Joseph, Tricia

    2013-07-01

    AGU's Chapman Conference program has been facilitating small collaborative meetings on topical and specialized subjects for more than 35 years. These meetings allow for debate and an exploration of possible solutions to scientific problems, while providing a professional networking opportunity for younger scientists. Venkat Lakshmi, professor of hydrology, climate, and water resources and former chair of the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences at the University of South Carolina, was selected in January as the Chapman Conference program chair through 2015. Lakshmi, a former Eos editor, recalls with enthusiasm organizing a 2012 Chapman Conference in Hawaii: the proposal writing, the grant writing, soliciting presenters, and gathering scientific material. He is now using his experience organizing meetings and mentoring students at his university to help advance the Chapman program. Eos spoke with him about his new role and his vision for the program.

  16. Physiologic adaptation to space - Space adaptation syndrome

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vanderploeg, J. M.

    1985-01-01

    The adaptive changes of the neurovestibular system to microgravity, which result in space motion sickness (SMS), are studied. A list of symptoms, which range from vomiting to drowsiness, is provided. The two patterns of symptom development, rapid and gradual, and the duration of the symptoms are described. The concept of sensory conflict and rearrangements to explain SMS is being investigated.

  17. Perceptions of Leadership Styles of Department Chairs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whitsett, Glee

    2007-01-01

    Much has been written about leadership in business management, but very little research has been done on leadership in academic departments. Department chairs have the authority to make most departmental decisions, but rarely does formal training exist for this position. Therefore, there is a need to study how the leadership styles among…

  18. Lumbar posture and trunk muscle activation during a typing task when sitting on a novel dynamic ergonomic chair.

    PubMed

    O'Sullivan, Kieran; McCarthy, Raymond; White, Alison; O'Sullivan, Leonard; Dankaerts, Wim

    2012-01-01

    Low back pain (LBP) is a common musculoskeletal disorder and prolonged sitting often aggravates LBP. A novel dynamic ergonomic chair ('Back App'), which facilitates less hip flexion while sitting on an unstable base has been developed. This study compared lumbar posture and trunk muscle activation on this novel chair with a standard backless office chair. Twelve painfree participants completed a typing task on both chairs. Lumbar posture and trunk muscle activation were collected simultaneously and were analysed using paired t-tests. Sitting on the novel dynamic chair significantly (p < 0.05) reduced both lumbar flexion and the activation of one back muscle (Iliocostalis Lumborum pars Thoracis). The discomfort experienced was mild and was similar (p > 0.05) between chairs. Maintaining lordosis with less muscle activation during prolonged sitting could reduce the fatigue associated with upright sitting postures. Studies with longer sitting durations, and in people with LBP, are required. Sitting on a novel dynamic chair resulted in less lumbar flexion and less back muscle activation than sitting on a standard backless office chair during a typing task among pain-free participants. Facilitating lordotic sitting with less muscle activation may reduce the fatigue and discomfort often associated with lordotic sitting postures.

  19. The Effects of Heat Adaptation on Physiology, Perception and Exercise Performance in the Heat: A Meta-Analysis.

    PubMed

    Tyler, Christopher J; Reeve, Tom; Hodges, Gary J; Cheung, Stephen S

    2016-11-01

    Exercise performance and capacity are impaired in hot, compared to temperate, conditions. Heat adaptation (HA) is one intervention commonly adopted to reduce this impairment because it may induce beneficial exercise performance and physiological and perceptual adaptations. A number of investigations have been conducted on HA but, due to large methodological differences, the effectiveness of different HA regimens remain unclear. (1) To quantify the effect of different HA regimens on exercise performance and the physiological and perceptual responses to subsequent heat exposure. (2) To offer practical HA recommendations and suggestions for future HA research based upon a systematic and quantitative synthesis of the literature. PubMed was searched for original research articles published up to, and including, 16 February 2016 using appropriate first- and second-order search terms. English-language, peer-reviewed, full-text original articles using human participants were reviewed using the four-stage process identified in the PRISMA statement. Data for the following variables were obtained from the manuscripts by at least two of the authors: participant sex, maximal oxygen consumption and age; HA duration, frequency, modality, temperature and humidity; exercise performance and capacity; core and skin temperature; heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, skin blood flow, sweat onset temperature, body mass loss, sweat rate, perception of thirst, volitional fluid consumption, plasma volume changes; sweat concentrations of sodium, chloride and potassium; aldosterone, arginine vasopressin, heat shock proteins (Hsp), ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and thermal sensation. Data were divided into three groups based upon the frequency of the HA regimen. Performance and capacity data were also divided into groups based upon the type of HA used. Hedges' g effect sizes and 95 % confidence intervals were calculated. Correlations were run where appropriate. Ninety-six articles

  20. Does Using a Chair Backrest or Reducing Seated Hip Flexion Influence Trunk Muscle Activity and Discomfort? A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Curran, Máire; O'Sullivan, Leonard; O'Sullivan, Peter; Dankaerts, Wim; O'Sullivan, Kieran

    2015-11-01

    This paper systematically reviews the effect of chair backrests and reducing seated hip flexion on low back discomfort (LBD) and trunk muscle activation. Prolonged sitting commonly exacerbates low back pain (LBP). Several modifications to seated posture and chair design have been recommended, including using chairs with backrests and chairs that reduce hip flexion. Electronic databases were searched by two independent assessors. Part 1 of this review includes 26 studies comparing the effect of sitting with at least two different hip angles. In Part 2, seven studies that compared the effect of sitting with and without a backrest were eligible. Study quality was assessed using the PEDro scale. Significant confounding variables and a relatively small number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving people with LBP complicates analysis of the results. There was moderate evidence that chair backrests reduce paraspinal muscle activation, and limited evidence that chair backrests reduce LBD. There was no evidence that chairs involving less hip flexion reduce LBP or LBD, or consistently alter trunk muscle activation. However, participants in several studies subjectively preferred the modified chairs involving less hip flexion. The limited evidence to support the use of chairs involving less seated hip flexion, or the effect of a backrest, is consistent with the limited evidence that other isolated chair design features can reduce LBP. LBP management is likely to require consideration of several factors in addition to sitting position. Larger RCTs involving people with LBP are required. © 2015, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

  1. Advancing Women’s Health and Women’s Leadership With Endowed Chairs in Women’s Health

    PubMed Central

    Carnes, Molly; Johnson, Paula; Klein, Wendy; Jenkins, Marjorie; Merz, C. Noel Bairey

    2017-01-01

    Gender-based bias and conflation of gender and status are root causes of disparities in women’s health care and the slow advancement of women to leadership in academic medicine. More than a quarter of women physicians train in internal medicine (IM) and its subspecialties, and women physicians almost exclusively constitute the women’s health focus within IM. Thus, IM has considerable opportunity to develop women leaders in academic medicine and promote women’s health equity. To probe whether holding an endowed chair—which confers status—in women’s health may be an effective way to advance both women leaders in academic medicine and women’s health, the authors explored the current status of endowed chairs in women’s health in IM. They found that the number of these endowed chairs in North America increased from 7 in 2013 to 19 in 2015, and all were held by women. The perceptions of incumbents and other women’s health leaders supported the premise that an endowed chair in women’s health would increase women’s leadership, the institutional stature of women’s health, and activities in women’s health research, education, and clinical care. Going forward, it will be important to explore why not all recipients perceived that the endowed chair enhanced their own academic leadership, whether providing women’s health leaders with fundraising expertise fosters future success in increasing the number of women’s health endowed chairs, and how the conflation of gender and status play out (e.g., salary differences between endowed chairs) as the number of endowed chairs in women’s health increases. PMID:27759706

  2. Adjusting to climate: acclimation, adaptation, and developmental plasticity in physiological traits of a tropical rainforest lizard.

    PubMed

    Llewelyn, John; Macdonald, Stewart L; Moritz, Craig; Martins, Felipe; Hatcher, Amberlee; Phillips, Ben L

    2018-01-09

    The impact of climate change may be felt most keenly by tropical ectotherms. In these taxa, it is argued, thermal specialisation means a given shift in temperature will have a larger effect on fitness. For species with limited dispersal ability, the impact of climate change depends on the capacity for their climate-relevant traits to shift. Such shifts can occur through genetic adaptation, various forms of plasticity, or a combination of these processes. Here we assess the extent and causes of shifts in seven physiological traits in a tropical lizard, the rainforest sunskink (Lampropholis coggeri). Two populations were sampled that differ from each other in both climate and physiological traits. We compared trait values in each animal soon after field collection versus following acclimation to laboratory conditions. We also compared trait values between populations in: (1) recently field-collected animals, (2) the same animals following laboratory acclimation, and (3) the laboratory-reared offspring of these animals. Our results reveal high trait lability, driven primarily by acclimation and local adaptation. By contrast, developmental plasticity, resulting from incubation temperature, had little-to-no effect on most traits. These results suggest that, while specialised, tropical ectotherms may be capable of rapid shifts in climate-relevant traits. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  3. The Community College Department Chair and Curriculum Leadership: Managing Learning and Learning to Manage

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sweeney, Kathleen Jennings

    2012-01-01

    Dwindling resources, the challenges of providing postsecondary remedial education, and an environment that emphasizes outcomes assessment are realities that confront the community college department chair. The role of the department chair is particularly challenging in the community college context due to accountability pressures, fiscal…

  4. Physiologic adaptation of man in space; Proceedings of the Seventh International Man in Space Symposium, Houston, TX, Feb. 10-13, 1986

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Holland, Albert W. (Editor)

    1987-01-01

    Topics discussed in this volume include space motion sickness, cardiovascular adaptation, fluid shifts, extravehicular activity, general physiology, perception, vestibular response modifications, vestibular physiology, and pharmacology. Papers are presented on the clinical characterization and etiology of space motion sickness, ultrasound techniques in space medicine, fluid shifts in weightlessness, Space Shuttle inflight and postflight fluid shifts measured by leg volume changes, and the probability of oxygen toxicity in an 8-psi space suit. Consideration is also given to the metabolic and hormonal status of crewmembers in short-term space flights, adaptive changes in perception of body orientation and mental image rotation in microgravity, the effects of a visual-vestibular stimulus on the vestibulo-ocular reflex, rotation tests in the weightless phase of parabolic flight, and the mechanisms of antimotion sickness drugs.

  5. Eldecalcitol improves chair-rising time in postmenopausal osteoporotic women treated with bisphosphonates

    PubMed Central

    Iwamoto, Jun; Sato, Yoshihiro

    2014-01-01

    An open-label randomized controlled trial was conducted to clarify the effect of eldecalcitol (ED) on body balance and muscle power in postmenopausal osteoporotic women treated with bisphosphonates. A total of 106 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis (mean age 70.8 years) were randomly divided into two groups (n=53 in each group): a bisphosphonate group (control group) and a bisphosphonate plus ED group (ED group). Biochemical markers, unipedal standing time (body balance), and five-repetition chair-rising time (muscle power) were evaluated. The duration of the study was 6 months. Ninety-six women who completed the trial were included in the subsequent analyses. At baseline, the age, body mass index, bone mass indices, bone turnover markers, unipedal standing time, and chair-rising time did not differ significantly between the two groups. During the 6-month treatment period, bone turnover markers decreased significantly from the baseline values similarly in the two groups. Although no significant improvement in the unipedal standing time was seen in the ED group, compared with the control group, the chair-rising time decreased significantly in the ED group compared with the control group. The present study showed that ED improved the chair-rising time in terms of muscle power in postmenopausal osteoporotic women treated with bisphosphonates. PMID:24476669

  6. "Chair Stand Test" as Simple Tool for Sarcopenia Screening in Elderly Women.

    PubMed

    Pinheiro, P A; Carneiro, J A O; Coqueiro, R S; Pereira, R; Fernandes, M H

    2016-01-01

    To investigate the association between sarcopenia and "chair stand test" performance, and evaluate this test as a screening tool for sarcopenia in community-dwelling elderly women. Cross-sectional Survey. 173 female individuals, aged ≥ 60 years and living in the urban area of the municipality of Lafaiete Coutinho, Bahia's inland, Brazil. The association between sarcopenia (defined by muscle mass, strength and/or performance loss) and performance in the "chair stand test" was tested by binary logistic regression technique. The ROC curve parameters were used to evaluate the diagnostic power of the test in sarcopenia screening. The significance level was set at 5 %. The model showed that the time spent for the "chair stand test" was positively associated (OR = 1.08; 95% CI = 1.01 - 1.16, p = 0.024) to sarcopenia, indicating that, for each 1 second increment in the test performance, the sarcopenia's probability increased by 8% in elderly women. The cut-off point that showed the best balance between sensitivity and specificity was 13 seconds. The performance of "chair stand test" showed predictive ability for sarcopenia, being an effective and simple screening tool for sarcopenia in elderly women. This test could be used for screening sarcopenic elderly women, allowing early interventions.

  7. Analysis of sitting forces on stationary chairs for daily activities.

    PubMed

    Hu, Lingling; Tackett, Bob; Tor, Onder; Zhang, Jilei

    2016-04-01

    No literature related to the study of sitting forces on chairs sat on by people who weighed over 136 kg was found. The Business Institutional Furniture Manufactures Association needs force data for development of performance test standards to test chairs for users who weigh up to 181 kg. 20 participants who weighed from 136 to 186 kg completed 6 tasks on an instrumented chair in the sequence of sitting down, remaining seated and rising. Effects of sitting motion, armrest use and seat cushion thickness on vertical sitting forces and centre-of-force were investigated. Results indicated hard sitting down yielded the highest sitting force of 213% in terms of participants' body weights. Armrest use affected sitting forces of normal sitting down, but not of rising and hard sitting down. Cushion thickness affected sitting forces of normal and hard sitting down and shifting, but not of rising, static seating or stretching backward situations. Practitioner Summary: Results of the sitting force and centre-of-force data obtained for this research can help furniture manufacturers develop new product performance test standards for creating reliable engineering design and manufacturing quality and durable products to meet a niche market need.

  8. Pharmacy practice department chairs' perspectives on part-time faculty members.

    PubMed

    Fjortoft, Nancy; Winkler, Susan R; Mai, Thy

    2012-05-10

    To identify the benefits and consequences of having part-time faculty members in departments of pharmacy practice from the department chair's perspective. A stratified purposive sample of 12 pharmacy practice department chairs was selected. Eleven telephone interviews were conducted. Two investigators independently read interview notes and categorized and enumerated responses to determine major themes using content analysis. The investigators jointly reviewed the data and came to consensus on major themes. Benefits of allowing full-time faculty members to reduce their position to part-time included faculty retention and improved individual faculty work/life balance. Consequences of allowing part-time faculty positions included the challenges of managing individual and departmental workloads, the risk of marginalizing part-time faculty members, and the challenges of promotion and tenure issues. All requests to switch to part-time status were faculty-driven and most were approved. There are a variety of benefits and consequences of having part-time faculty in pharmacy practice departments from the chair's perspective. Clear faculty and departmental expectations of part-time faculty members need to be established to ensure optimal success of this working arrangement.

  9. Integrated Physiological, Proteomic, and Metabolomic Analysis of Ultra Violet (UV) Stress Responses and Adaptation Mechanisms in Pinus radiata*

    PubMed Central

    Pascual, Jesús; Cañal, María Jesús; Escandón, Mónica; Meijón, Mónica; Weckwerth, Wolfram

    2017-01-01

    Globally expected changes in environmental conditions, especially the increase of UV irradiation, necessitate extending our knowledge of the mechanisms mediating tree species adaptation to this stress. This is crucial for designing new strategies to maintain future forest productivity. Studies focused on environmentally realistic dosages of UV irradiation in forest species are scarce. Pinus spp. are commercially relevant trees and not much is known about their adaptation to UV. In this work, UV treatment and recovery of Pinus radiata plants with dosages mimicking future scenarios, based on current models of UV radiation, were performed in a time-dependent manner. The combined metabolome and proteome analysis were complemented with measurements of + physiological parameters and gene expression. Sparse PLS analysis revealed complex molecular interaction networks of molecular and physiological data. Early responses prevented phototoxicity by reducing photosystem activity and the electron transfer chain together with the accumulation of photoprotectors and photorespiration. Apart from the reduction in photosynthesis as consequence of the direct UV damage on the photosystems, the primary metabolism was rearranged to deal with the oxidative stress while minimizing ROS production. New protein kinases and proteases related to signaling, coordination, and regulation of UV stress responses were revealed. All these processes demonstrate a complex molecular interaction network extending the current knowledge on UV-stress adaptation in pine. PMID:28096192

  10. Adaptation to oscillopsia: a psychophysical and questionnaire investigation.

    PubMed

    Grunfeld, E A; Morland, A B; Bronstein, A M; Gresty, M A

    2000-02-01

    In this study we explore the reasons why patients with bilateral vestibular failure report disparate degrees of oscillopsia. Twelve bilateral labyrinthine-defective (LD) subjects and twelve normal healthy controls were tested using a self- versus visual-motion psychophysical experiment. The LD subjects also completed a questionnaire designed to quantify the severity of handicap caused by oscillopsia. Additional standardized questionnaires were completed to identify the role of personality, personal beliefs and affective factors in adaptation to oscillopsia. During the psychophysical experiment subjects sat on a motorized Barany chair whilst viewing a large-field projected video image displayed on a screen in front of them. The chair and video image oscillated sinusoidally at 1 Hz in counter-phase at variable amplitudes which were controlled by the subject but constrained, so that the net relative motion of the chair and video image always resulted in a sinusoid with a peak velocity of 50 degrees /s. The subject's task was to find the ratio of chair versus video image motion that subjectively produced the 'most comfortable visual image'. Eye movements were recorded during the experiment in order that the net retinal image slip at the point of maximum visual comfort could be measured. The main findings in the LD subjects were that, as a group, they selected lower chair motion amplitude settings to obtain visual comfort than did the normal control subjects. Responses to the questionnaires highlighted considerable variation in reported handicap due to oscillopsia. Greater oscillopsia handicap scores were significantly correlated with a greater external locus of control (i.e. the perception of having little control over one's health). Retinal slip speed was negatively correlated with oscillopsia handicap score so that patients who suffered the greatest retinal slip were those least handicapped by oscillopsia. The results suggest that adaptation to oscillopsia is partly

  11. Bourdieu, Department Chairs and the Reform of Science Education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Melville, Wayne; Hardy, Ian; Bartley, Anthony

    2011-11-01

    Using the insights of the French sociologist, Pierre Bourdieu, this article considers the role of the science department chair in the reform of school science education. Using Bourdieu's 'thinking tools' of 'field', 'habitus' and 'capital', we case study the work of two teachers who both actively pursue the teaching and learning of science as inquiry. One teacher, Dan, has been a department chair since 2000, and has actively encouraged his department to embrace science as inquiry. The other teacher, Leslie, worked for one year in Dan's department before being transferred to another school where science teaching continues to be more traditional. Our work suggests that there are three crucial considerations for chairs seeking to lead the reform of science teaching within their department. The first of these is the development of a reform-minded habitus, as this appears to be foundational to the capital that can be expended in the leadership of reform. The second is an understanding of how to wield power and position in the promotion of reform. The third is the capacity to operate simultaneously and strategically within, and across, two fields; the departmental field and the larger science education field. This involves downplaying administrative logics, and foregrounding more inquiry-focused logics as a vehicle to challenge traditional science-teaching dispositions-the latter being typically dominated by concerns about curriculum 'coverage'.

  12. Estimating the capability of microalgae to physiological acclimatization and genetic adaptation to petroleum and diesel oil contamination.

    PubMed

    Romero-Lopez, Julia; Lopez-Rodas, Victoria; Costas, Eduardo

    2012-11-15

    There is increasing scientific interest in how phytoplankton reacts to petroleum contamination, since crude oil and its derivatives are generating extensive contamination of aquatic environments. However, toxic effects of short-term petroleum exposure are more widely known than the adaptation of phytoplankton to long-term petroleum exposure. An analysis of short-term and long-term effects of petroleum exposure was done using experimental populations of freshwater (Scenedesmus intermedius and Microcystis aeruginosa) and marine (Dunaliella tertiolecta) microalgae isolated from pristine sites without crude oil product contamination. These strains were exposed to increased levels of petroleum and diesel oil. Short-term exposure to petroleum or diesel oil revealed a rapid inhibition of photosynthetic performance and cell proliferation in freshwater and marine phytoplankton species. A broad degree of inter-specific variation in lethal contamination level was observed. When different strains were exposed to petroleum or diesel oil over the long-term, the cultures showed massive destruction of the sensitive cells. Nonetheless, after further incubation, some cultures were able to grow again due to cells that were resistant to the toxins. By means of a fluctuation analysis, discrimination between cells that had become resistant due to physiological acclimatization and resistant cells arising from rare spontaneous mutations was accomplished. In addition, an analysis was done as to the maximum capacity of adaptation to a gradual contamination process. An experimental ratchet protocol was used, which maintains a strong selection pressure in a temporal scale up to several months over very large experimental populations of microalgae. Microalgae are able to survive to petroleum contamination as a result of physiological acclimatization without genetic changes. However, when petroleum concentration exceeds the physiological limits, survival depends exclusively on the occurrence on

  13. Space Grant Research Launches Rehabilitation Chair

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2015-01-01

    Working with funding from the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program-which was implemented by NASA Headquarters to fund research, education, and public service projects-a biomedical engineering student created a vibration-based system that could combat bone loss from prolonged trips to space. A rehabilitation chair incorporating the technology is now sold by Sheboygan, Wisconsin-based VibeTech Inc. and is helping people recover more quickly from injuries and surgery.

  14. COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL STRESS MANAGEMENT EFFECTS ON PSYCHOSOCIAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL ADAPTATION IN WOMEN UNDERGOING TREATMENT FOR BREAST CANCER

    PubMed Central

    Antoni, Michael H.; Lechner, Suzanne; Diaz, Alain; Vargas, Sara; Holley, Heather; Phillips, Kristin; McGregor, Bonnie; Carver, Charles S.; Blomberg, Bonnie

    2009-01-01

    BACKGROUND A diagnosis of breast cancer and treatment are psychologically stressful events, particularly over the first year after diagnosis. Women undergo many demanding and anxiety-arousing treatments such as surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Psychosocial interventions that promote psychosocial adaptation to these challenges may modulate physiological processes (neuroendocrine and immune) that are relevant for health outcomes in breast cancer patients. METHODS Women with Stage 1 – 3 breast cancer recruited 4 – 8 weeks after surgery were randomized to either a 10-week group-based cognitive behavioral stress management (CBSM) intervention or a 1-day psychoeducational control group and completed questionnaires and late afternoon blood samples at study entry and 6 and 12 months after assignment to experimental condition. RESULTS Of 128 women initially providing psychosocial questionnaire and blood samples at study entry, 97 provided complete data for anxiety measures and cortisol analysis at all time points, and immune assays were run on a subset of 85 of these women. Those assigned to a 10-week group-based CBSM intervention evidenced better psychosocial adaptation (lower reported cancer-specific anxiety and interviewer-rated general anxiety symptoms) and physiological adaptation (lower cortisol, greater Th1 cytokine [interleukin-2 and interferon-γ production and IL-2:IL-4 ratio) after their adjuvant treatment compared to those in the control group. Effects on psychosocial adaptation indicators and cortisol appeared to hold across the entire 12-month observation period. Th1 cytokine regulation changes held only over the initial 6-month period. CONCLUSIONS This intervention may have facilitated a “recovery or maintenance” of Th1 cytokine regulation during or after the adjuvant therapy period. Behavioral interventions that address dysregulated neuroendocrine function could play a clinically significant role in optimizing host immunologic resistance during a

  15. Assessment of physiological performance and perception of pushing different wheelchairs on indoor modular units simulating a surface roughness often encountered in under-resourced settings.

    PubMed

    Sasaki, Kotaro; Rispin, Karen

    2017-01-01

    In under-resourced settings where motorized wheelchairs are rarely available, manual wheelchair users with limited upper-body strength and functionalities need to rely on assisting pushers for their mobility. Because traveling surfaces in under-resourced settings are often unpaved and rough, wheelchair pushers could experience high physiological loading. In order to evaluate pushers' physiological loading and to improve wheelchair designs, we built indoor modular units that simulate rough surface conditions, and tested a hypothesis that pushing different wheelchairs would result in different physiological performances and pushers' perception of difficulty on the simulated rough surface. Eighteen healthy subjects pushed two different types of pediatric wheelchairs (Moti-Go manufactured by Motivation, and KidChair by Hope Haven) fitted with a 50-kg dummy on the rough and smooth surfaces at self-selected speeds. Oxygen uptake, traveling distance for 6 minutes, and the rating of difficulty were obtained. The results supported our hypothesis, showing that pushing Moti-Go on the rough surface was physiologically less loading than KidChair, but on the smooth surface, the two wheelchairs did not differ significantly. These results indicate wheelchair designs to improve pushers' performance in under-resourced settings should be evaluated on rough surfaces.

  16. Report from the David Peikoff Chair of Deafness Studies: January 1989 through August 1991.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schein, Jerome D.

    1991-01-01

    Following a brief biography of David Peikoff, this paper describes the first occupant of the David Peikoff Chair of Deafness Studies, Jerome D. Schein. The chair's research agenda on mediated communication and demography of impaired hearing are described, as well as organization of an international conference, public addresses, and technical…

  17. A Factor-Analytic Investigation of Role Types and Profiles of Higher Education Department Chairs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carroll, James B.; Gmelch, Walter H.

    This paper reports on a study that investigated the role, attitudes, and behaviors of department chairs in higher education. Specifically, the study investigated four objectives: (1) to examine role factors of effective chair performance; (2) to assess the impact of antecedent variables such as individual characteristics (gender, marital status,…

  18. Global Transcriptional, Physiological, and Metabolite Analyses of the Responses of Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough to Salt Adaptation ▿ †

    PubMed Central

    He, Zhili; Zhou, Aifen; Baidoo, Edward; He, Qiang; Joachimiak, Marcin P.; Benke, Peter; Phan, Richard; Mukhopadhyay, Aindrila; Hemme, Christopher L.; Huang, Katherine; Alm, Eric J.; Fields, Matthew W.; Wall, Judy; Stahl, David; Hazen, Terry C.; Keasling, Jay D.; Arkin, Adam P.; Zhou, Jizhong

    2010-01-01

    The response of Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough to salt adaptation (long-term NaCl exposure) was examined by performing physiological, global transcriptional, and metabolite analyses. Salt adaptation was reflected by increased expression of genes involved in amino acid biosynthesis and transport, electron transfer, hydrogen oxidation, and general stress responses (e.g., heat shock proteins, phage shock proteins, and oxidative stress response proteins). The expression of genes involved in carbon metabolism, cell growth, and phage structures was decreased. Transcriptome profiles of D. vulgaris responses to salt adaptation were compared with transcriptome profiles of D. vulgaris responses to salt shock (short-term NaCl exposure). Metabolite assays showed that glutamate and alanine accumulated under salt adaptation conditions, suggesting that these amino acids may be used as osmoprotectants in D. vulgaris. Addition of amino acids (glutamate, alanine, and tryptophan) or yeast extract to the growth medium relieved salt-related growth inhibition. A conceptual model that links the observed results to currently available knowledge is proposed to increase our understanding of the mechanisms of D. vulgaris adaptation to elevated NaCl levels. PMID:20038696

  19. Psycho-physiological mechanisms of adaptation of rotation personnel in Arctic regions.

    PubMed

    Krivoschekov, S G; Shishkina, T N

    1998-01-01

    Transit workers (240 oil industry workers, aged 19-50) living in the European part of Russia and flying to work in the northern regions of West Siberia (Tyumen district) were observed. Psychological status was determined by the method of Taylor. Biological rhythms, chemical control of ventilation, oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) consumption, body temperature, and hormone-metabolic data were assessed. The analysis of illness for the Nadymgazprom Enterprise was carried out in accordance with the medical charts. One may notice a certain cyclic recurrence of the adaptation process. Thus, the first stage of vigorous rearrangement of the psycho-physiological regulation system is followed by a period of relative stability, the result of initiation of compensatory processes. Compensation mechanisms, however, may become disabled, triggering development of a disadaptive state. Results of these scientific investigations were used to introduce new transit work regimens at Nadymgazprom Enterprise.

  20. The role of oxidative, inflammatory and neuroendocrinological systems during exercise stress in athletes: implications of antioxidant supplementation on physiological adaptation during intensified physical training.

    PubMed

    Slattery, Katie; Bentley, David; Coutts, Aaron J

    2015-04-01

    During periods of intensified physical training, reactive oxygen species (ROS) release may exceed the protective capacity of the antioxidant system and lead to dysregulation within the inflammatory and neuroendocrinological systems. Consequently, the efficacy of exogenous antioxidant supplementation to maintain the oxidative balance in states of exercise stress has been widely investigated. The aim of this review was to (1) collate the findings of prior research on the effect of intensive physical training on oxidant-antioxidant balance; (2) summarise the influence of antioxidant supplementation on the reduction-oxidation signalling pathways involved in physiological adaptation; and (3) provide a synopsis on the interactions between the oxidative, inflammatory and neuroendocrinological response to exercise stimuli. Based on prior research, it is evident that ROS are an underlying aetiology in the adaptive process; however, the impact of antioxidant supplementation on physiological adaptation remains unclear. Equivocal results have been reported on the impact of antioxidant supplementation on exercise-induced gene expression. Further research is required to establish whether the interference of antioxidant supplementation consistently observed in animal-based and in vivo research extends to a practical sports setting. Moreover, the varied results reported within the literature may be due to the hormetic response of oxidative, inflammatory and neuroendocrinological systems to an exercise stimulus. The collective findings suggest that intensified physical training places substantial stress on the body, which can manifest as an adaptive or maladaptive physiological response. Additional research is required to determine the efficacy of antioxidant supplementation to minimise exercise-stress during intensive training and promote an adaptive state.

  1. The Art of Chairing: What Deming Taught the Japanese and the Japanese Taught Me.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rodd, Laurel Rasplica

    2001-01-01

    Reveals how a business model--based on the work of W. Edwards Deming--helped a foreign language department chair become a better leader. Outlines seven principles for department chairs: create constancy of purpose; change and improvement are ongoing; drive out fear; work with suppliers to continually improve the quality of incoming people,…

  2. Preparing Department Chairs for Their Leadership Roles. New Directions for Community Colleges, Number 105.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gillet-Karam, Rosemary, Ed.

    1999-01-01

    This issue focuses on preparing department chairs for their leadership roles. It presents qualities that experienced chairs cite as being crucial to success, and asserts the need to develop formal training programs for people newly appointed to these positions. Articles include: (1) "Midlevel Management in the Community College: A Rose Garden?"…

  3. Design of Lesehan Chair by Using Kansei Engineering Method And Anthropometry Approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pambudi, A. T.; Suryoputro, M. R.; Sari, A. D.; Kurnia, R. D.

    2016-01-01

    Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) is known as city for academic. Many people come to get some education in college. They live in boarding house with some supporting facilities. The most common facilities is low table which lead students have to sit on the floor while studying on table which could cause higher risk of back pain and musculoskeletal disorder. To identify the solution to reduce back pain and musculoskeletal risk, it is needed to design a lesehan chair which also appropriate to customer needs. Kansei engineering method was used with a total of 30 respondents participated, 15 kansei words collected, and 12 kansei words selected by doing validation and reliability test. The result of this study showed that quality, aesthetics, and comfort level influence the design of lesehan chair. A design of lesehan chair was created by considering the suitable concept and merging it with the physical design and its anthropometry measurement. In this case, marginal homogeneity test is needed to identify the differences between each kansei words attribute and the design or product recommendation. The marginal homogeneity test results show that the design and product recommendation has fulfilled customer's desires and needs. For further research, it is needed to analyse and evaluate the posture of lesehan chair users in order to develop and improve its performance.

  4. 76 FR 45845 - Notice of Issuance of Final Determination Concerning a Certain Patient Transport Chair

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-01

    ... determination. FACTS: Electro Kinetic, headquartered in Germantown, Wisconsin, designs and manufactures... finished patient transport chair. You state that the production of the BREEZ patient transport chair in the U.S. begins with the production of 17 cable subassemblies which include: positive and negative...

  5. 77 FR 71168 - Folding Metal Tables and Chairs From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of Sunset...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-11-29

    ... Chairs From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of Sunset Review and Revocation of Order AGENCY... duty order on folding metal tables and chairs from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''). Because...: Folding Metal Tables and Chairs From the People's Republic of China, 67 FR 43277 (June 27, 2002). \\2\\ See...

  6. Does agreement on institutional values and leadership issues between deans and surgery chairs predict their institutions' performance?

    PubMed

    Souba, Wiley W; Mauger, David; Day, David V

    2007-03-01

    To gain a better understanding of the values that medical school deans and surgery chairs consider most essential for effective leadership, to assess their perceptions of the values and leadership climate in their institutions, and to test the premise that agreement on leadership values and climate predict greater organizational effectiveness and performance. From June 2005 through March 2006, questionnaires designed to assess leadership core values and organizational leadership climate were mailed to medical school deans and surgery chairs of the 125 U.S. academic health centers. Institutional performance measures used were the National Institutes of Health (NIH) standing and U.S. News and World Report ranking of each institution. Sixty-eight surgery chairs (54%) and 60 deans (48%) returned surveys. Q-sort results on 38 positive leadership values indicated that integrity, trust, and vision were considered the most important core values for effective leadership by both chairs and deans. Both groups ranked business acumen, authority, and institutional reputation as least important. Deans consistently ranked the leadership climate as being healthier (more positive) than did their surgery chairs on multiple scale items: leadership is widely shared (P = .005), information is widely shared (P = .002), missions are aligned (P = .003), open communication is the norm (P = .009), good performance is rewarded (P = .01), teamwork is widely practiced (P = .01), and leaders are held accountable (P = 002). Tighter alignment between chairs and deans on core values and on the leadership climate scale correlated with higher school and department NIH standing and higher U.S. News and World Report medical school and hospital ranking (P < .05). Although surgery chairs and deans espouse similar core leadership values, deans believe that a healthier leadership climate exists in their institutions than their surgery chairs do. The study findings suggest that tighter leadership alignment

  7. Exercise as a countermeasure for physiological adaptation to prolonged spaceflight

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Convertino, V. A.

    1996-01-01

    Exercise represents the primary countermeasure used during spaceflight to maintain or restore maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max), musculoskeletal structure, and orthostatic function. However, no single exercise or combination of prescriptions has proven entirely effective in restoring cardiovascular and musculoskeletal functions to preflight levels following prolonged spaceflight. As human spaceflight exposures increase in duration, assessment and development of various effective exercise-based protective procedures become paramount. This must involve improvement in specific countermeasure prescription as well as development of additional approaches that will allow space travelers greater flexibility and medical safety during long flights. Effective exercise prescription will be based on identification of basic physiological stimuli that maintain normal function in terrestrial gravity and understanding of how specific combinations of exercise characteristics e.g., duration, frequency, intensity, mode) can mimic these stimuli and affect the overall process of adaptation to microgravity. This can be accomplished only with greater emphasis of research on ground-based experiments. Future attention must be directed to improving exercise compliance while minimizing both crew time and the impact of the exercise on life-support resources.

  8. The Body Language Behaviours of the Chairs of the Disputes According to the Disputants

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caliskan, Nihat

    2009-01-01

    The perception form of the body language behaviours of the session chairs by disputants affects the efficiency of the process. Therefore, it is important to determine the effects of the mimic, gesture, physical appearance and tonality and accent of the chairs on disputants. That research was conducted to clarify how the disputants perceive the…

  9. Development of Active Rocking Chair with Changing Swing According to Heartbeat Fluctuation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kawashima, Takeshi

    The purpose of this study is to realize a comfortable swing according to the condition of each individual person. A simple active rocking chair is developed, the swing of which changes with the heartbeat fluctuation of the seated person. The active rocking chair is driven by a solenoid for safety and silence. Swinging is strengthened when the period of the heartbeat lengthens, and it is weakened when the period shortens. Swinging is evaluated using a questionnaire of 16 bipolar scales that was developed for the evaluation of comfortable swinging on the basis of the semantic differential (SD) technique. As a result, it is confirmed that comfortable swinging is realized by the developed active rocking chair. Then the acceleration near the ear of the seated person is measured in order to examine the features of comfortable swinging using the feedback of heartbeat fluctuation. It is clarified that the power spectrum of the envelope of the acceleration waveform shows “1/f fluctuation”.

  10. Spontaneous vaginal delivery in the birth-chair versus in the conventional dorsal position: a matched controlled comparison.

    PubMed

    Scholz, H S; Benedicic, C; Arikan, M G; Haas, J; Petru, E

    2001-09-17

    The aim of the study was to assess the effect of a birth-chair on obstetric outcome. We reviewed the hospital records of 220 consecutive pregnant women who gave birth on a birth-chair at our institution. The control group consisted of 440 pregnant women who preceded and followed the index cases and who had spontaneous vaginal deliveries in the conventional dorsal supine position. The controls were matched for parity and for the attending mid-wife. Patients who delivered in the birth-chair had significantly lower rates of episiotomy and manual separation of the placenta. The umbilical blood cord pH was significantly higher in neonates of the birth-chair group. The duration of labour, rate of perineal and vaginal injury, Apgar scores and rate of admission to a neonatal intermediate care unit were not influenced by the mode of delivery. Our data support previous studies that a birth-chair delivery may be a safe alternative to conventional delivery in the supine position.

  11. Procedures of Exercise Physiology Laboratories

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bishop, Phillip A.; Fortney, Suzanne; Greenisen, Michael; Siconolfi, Steven F.; Bamman, Marcas M.; Moore, Alan D., Jr.; Squires, William

    1998-01-01

    This manual describes the laboratory methods used to collect flight crew physiological performance data at the Johnson Space Center. The Exercise Countermeasures Project Laboratory is a standard physiology laboratory; only the application to the study of human physiological adaptations to spaceflight is unique. In the absence of any other recently published laboratory manual, this manual should be a useful document staffs and students of other laboratories.

  12. The Role of the Modern English Department Chair.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moxley, Joseph M.; Olson, Gary A.

    To determine how deans as a group perceive the role of the English department chair, a study surveyed the deans of Arts and Sciences of 350 randomly selected universities with enrollments over 10,000 students (with a 51% response rate). The questionnaire solicited data about the tasks and qualities of chairmanship, referring both to specific…

  13. The AGU Board of Heads and Chairs: Past and Future

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wuebbles, D. J.; Bierly, E. W.

    2005-12-01

    The primary objective of the AGU Board of Heads and Chairs is to be a conduit for interactions of AGU with the many universities and colleges involved in geosciences education and research. The Board also provides a forum for discussing key issues being faced by Earth and space science departments. From a historical perspective, the Board of Heads and Chairs has been a venue, through various meetings over the last two decades, for bringing together Heads and Chairs of such departments solutions; discuss and critically evaluate new instruments, facilities, tools, and methodologies; come together on important issues that transcend their own science such as the need for increased computing capacity; develop ways to increase women and minorities numbers in the field and deal with their issues in an equitable manner; discuss news ways to teach, introduction of new courses, establishment of new programs and degrees to fill the community's needs; and broaden their horizons, think in truly interdisciplinary ways and, return to their institutions with increased vigor and new ideas. We are looking to expand the role of the Board for the future, particularly towards being more proactive as a clearinghouse or "point of contact" for helping the represented universities and colleges. This presentation looks at what has been done and the direction of future activities of the Board.

  14. 57. DETAIL OF EAST END OF CHANCEL SHOWING BISHOP'S CHAIR, ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    57. DETAIL OF EAST END OF CHANCEL SHOWING BISHOP'S CHAIR, ALTAR, AND STAINED GLASS WINDOWS; NOTE MINTON TILE MEDALLIONS ON FLOOR - Church of the Holy Cross, State Route 261, Stateburg, Sumter County, SC

  15. Tissue physiological metabolic adaptability in young and old leaves of reed (Phragmites communis) in Songnen grassland.

    PubMed

    Guo, Rui; Bai, Zhenzi; Zhou, Ji; Zhong, XiuLi; Gu, FengXue; Liu, Qi; Li, HaoRu

    2018-07-01

    Common reed (Phragmites communis) is widely distributed as the dominant plant species in the Songnen Plain of China. The aim of this study was to investigate different physiological adaptive mechanisms to salinity tolerance between young and old leaves. The profiles of 68 metabolites were measured and studied in reed leaves by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer. The nitrogen, carbon, and pigment contents showed stronger growth inhibition for older leaves with salinity stress. In young leaves, high K + contents not only promoted cell growth, but also prevented influx of superfluous Na + ions in cells; the Ca 2+ accumulation in old leaves implied that Ca 2+ triggered the SOS-Na + exclusion system and reduced Na + toxicity. Thus, the mechanism of enhanced tolerance differed between young and old leaves. The metabolite results indicated that the young and old leaves had different mechanisms of osmotic regulation; sugars/polyols and amino acids played important roles in developing salinity tolerance in young leaves but high contents of fatty acids were important for old leaves. These results implied dramatically enhanced sugars and amino acid synthesis but inhibited energy metabolism in young leaves. In contrast, fatty acid synthesis was enhanced in old leaves. The results extended our understanding of the differences in physiological metabolism in adaptive to the salt-alkalization of soil in Songnen grassland between young and old leaves of reeds. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  16. An Approximation to the Adaptive Exponential Integrate-and-Fire Neuron Model Allows Fast and Predictive Fitting to Physiological Data.

    PubMed

    Hertäg, Loreen; Hass, Joachim; Golovko, Tatiana; Durstewitz, Daniel

    2012-01-01

    For large-scale network simulations, it is often desirable to have computationally tractable, yet in a defined sense still physiologically valid neuron models. In particular, these models should be able to reproduce physiological measurements, ideally in a predictive sense, and under different input regimes in which neurons may operate in vivo. Here we present an approach to parameter estimation for a simple spiking neuron model mainly based on standard f-I curves obtained from in vitro recordings. Such recordings are routinely obtained in standard protocols and assess a neuron's response under a wide range of mean-input currents. Our fitting procedure makes use of closed-form expressions for the firing rate derived from an approximation to the adaptive exponential integrate-and-fire (AdEx) model. The resulting fitting process is simple and about two orders of magnitude faster compared to methods based on numerical integration of the differential equations. We probe this method on different cell types recorded from rodent prefrontal cortex. After fitting to the f-I current-clamp data, the model cells are tested on completely different sets of recordings obtained by fluctuating ("in vivo-like") input currents. For a wide range of different input regimes, cell types, and cortical layers, the model could predict spike times on these test traces quite accurately within the bounds of physiological reliability, although no information from these distinct test sets was used for model fitting. Further analyses delineated some of the empirical factors constraining model fitting and the model's generalization performance. An even simpler adaptive LIF neuron was also examined in this context. Hence, we have developed a "high-throughput" model fitting procedure which is simple and fast, with good prediction performance, and which relies only on firing rate information and standard physiological data widely and easily available.

  17. Middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity during beach chair position for shoulder surgery under general anesthesia.

    PubMed

    Hanouz, Jean-Luc; Fiant, Anne-Lise; Gérard, Jean-Louis

    2016-09-01

    The goal of the present study was to examine changes of middle cerebral artery (VMCA) blood flow velocity in patients scheduled for shoulder surgery in beach chair position. Prospective observational study. Operating room, shoulder surgery. Fifty-three consecutive patients scheduled for shoulder surgery in beach chair position. Transcranial Doppler performed after induction of general anesthesia (baseline), after beach chair positioning (BC1), during surgery 20minutes (BC2), and after back to supine position before stopping anesthesia (supine). Mean arterial pressure (MAP), end-tidal CO2, and volatile anesthetic concentration and VMCA were recorded at baseline, BC1, BC2, and supine. Postoperative neurologic complications were searched. Beach chair position induced decrease in MAP (baseline: 73±10mm Hg vs lower MAP recorded: 61±10mm Hg; P<.0001) requiring vasopressors and fluid challenge in 44 patients (83%). There was a significant decrease in VMCA after beach chair positioning (BC1: 33±10cm/s vs baseline: 39±14cm/s; P=.001). The VMCA at baseline (39±2cm/s), BC2 (35±14cm/s), and supine (39±14cm/s) were not different. The minimal alveolar concentration of volatile anesthetics, end-tidal CO2, SpO2, and MAP were not different at baseline, BC1, BC2, and supine. Beach chair position resulted in transient decrease in MAP requiring fluid challenge and vasopressors and a moderate decrease in VMCA. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. A Theoretical Model for Designing an In-House Community College Department Chair Professional Development Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sirkis, Jocelyn Eager

    2013-01-01

    Academic department chairs serve as front-line managers and leaders who perform a wide variety of tasks. These tasks may include mundane chores, such as ordering office supplies, or important ones, such as changing the department culture to one that embraces assessment. Too often, however, individuals take on the chair position with little to no…

  19. 32. DETAIL OF BOARD ROOM CHAIR WITH SILVER PLATE LISTING ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    32. DETAIL OF BOARD ROOM CHAIR WITH SILVER PLATE LISTING NAMES AND DATES OF PAST OCCUPANTS AND PLATE WITH NAME OF CURRENT OCCUPANT - Philadelphia Saving Fund Society, Twelfth & Market Streets, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

  20. Dresselhaus to Chair AIP Governing Board

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mildred S. Dresselhaus has been chosen as the first woman to chair the governing board of the American Institute of Physics (AIP).AGU is one of AIP's largest member organizations and is represented proportionately on AIP's various governing bodies. Robert E. Dickinson, AGU's current president, is a member of AIP's governing board, as is AGU's executive director, Fred Spilhaus, its director of publications, Judy Holoviak, and members James L. Burch (Southwest Research Institute), Louis Lanzerotti (Bell Labs), and Jeffrey J. Park (Yale University). In addition, Lanzerotti serves on AIP's 13-member executive committee.

  1. Fearing Colleges Slight "Traditional Values," Conservatives Back "Free Enterprise" Chairs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Evangelauf, Jean

    1987-01-01

    In the last 25 years, 80 to 100 chairs or institutes focusing on the study of capitalism have been established on college campuses, sometimes facing criticism because of potential conflict with the institution's mission. (MSE)

  2. Gender, Performativity, and Leadership: Department Chairs in Research Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lepkowski, Christine

    2014-01-01

    Women are significantly underrepresented as administrators in higher education leadership. This qualitative study examined the leadership of department chairs at public research universities to better understand how their gender and other identities affected their leadership. The following research questions shaped the study: (1) How do department…

  3. Genetic approaches in comparative and evolutionary physiology

    PubMed Central

    Bridgham, Jamie T.; Kelly, Scott A.; Garland, Theodore

    2015-01-01

    Whole animal physiological performance is highly polygenic and highly plastic, and the same is generally true for the many subordinate traits that underlie performance capacities. Quantitative genetics, therefore, provides an appropriate framework for the analysis of physiological phenotypes and can be used to infer the microevolutionary processes that have shaped patterns of trait variation within and among species. In cases where specific genes are known to contribute to variation in physiological traits, analyses of intraspecific polymorphism and interspecific divergence can reveal molecular mechanisms of functional evolution and can provide insights into the possible adaptive significance of observed sequence changes. In this review, we explain how the tools and theory of quantitative genetics, population genetics, and molecular evolution can inform our understanding of mechanism and process in physiological evolution. For example, lab-based studies of polygenic inheritance can be integrated with field-based studies of trait variation and survivorship to measure selection in the wild, thereby providing direct insights into the adaptive significance of physiological variation. Analyses of quantitative genetic variation in selection experiments can be used to probe interrelationships among traits and the genetic basis of physiological trade-offs and constraints. We review approaches for characterizing the genetic architecture of physiological traits, including linkage mapping and association mapping, and systems approaches for dissecting intermediary steps in the chain of causation between genotype and phenotype. We also discuss the promise and limitations of population genomic approaches for inferring adaptation at specific loci. We end by highlighting the role of organismal physiology in the functional synthesis of evolutionary biology. PMID:26041111

  4. Genetic approaches in comparative and evolutionary physiology.

    PubMed

    Storz, Jay F; Bridgham, Jamie T; Kelly, Scott A; Garland, Theodore

    2015-08-01

    Whole animal physiological performance is highly polygenic and highly plastic, and the same is generally true for the many subordinate traits that underlie performance capacities. Quantitative genetics, therefore, provides an appropriate framework for the analysis of physiological phenotypes and can be used to infer the microevolutionary processes that have shaped patterns of trait variation within and among species. In cases where specific genes are known to contribute to variation in physiological traits, analyses of intraspecific polymorphism and interspecific divergence can reveal molecular mechanisms of functional evolution and can provide insights into the possible adaptive significance of observed sequence changes. In this review, we explain how the tools and theory of quantitative genetics, population genetics, and molecular evolution can inform our understanding of mechanism and process in physiological evolution. For example, lab-based studies of polygenic inheritance can be integrated with field-based studies of trait variation and survivorship to measure selection in the wild, thereby providing direct insights into the adaptive significance of physiological variation. Analyses of quantitative genetic variation in selection experiments can be used to probe interrelationships among traits and the genetic basis of physiological trade-offs and constraints. We review approaches for characterizing the genetic architecture of physiological traits, including linkage mapping and association mapping, and systems approaches for dissecting intermediary steps in the chain of causation between genotype and phenotype. We also discuss the promise and limitations of population genomic approaches for inferring adaptation at specific loci. We end by highlighting the role of organismal physiology in the functional synthesis of evolutionary biology. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

  5. The significance and impact of a faculty teaching award: disparate perceptions of department chairs and award recipients.

    PubMed

    Brawer, James; Steinert, Yvonne; St-Cyr, Julie; Watters, Kevin; Wood-Dauphinee, Sharon

    2006-11-01

    Teaching awards are commonly regarded as an incentive to encourage pedagogic excellence. Inasmuch as their effectiveness depends on how they are perceived by faculty, the authors investigated the impact of a teaching award in the Faculty of Medicine (Faculty Honor List for Educational Excellence) on the attitudes of award recipients and departmental chairs. A questionnaire was designed to sample opinion on the extent to which the Honor List program was publicized, whether the award contributed to recognition and/or stature in the academic unit, and whether it was personally valued by recipients. The questionnaire was sent to all 23 departmental chairs and to all 43 faculty members who had received the award between 1998 and 2002; 78% of the chairs and 77% of the recipients responded. The results revealed marked discrepancies between the perceptions of chairs and recipients. Chairs, although uncertain of the effect on quality of teaching, largely regarded the award as prestigious and well publicized within their departments. A notably smaller percentage of award recipients shared these views. Nonetheless, 93% of recipients valued the award highly, and 45% of recipients indicated that the award inspired them to enhance the quality of their teaching.

  6. Managing People: A Guide for Department Chairs and Deans.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leaming, Deryl R., Ed.

    This book is a collection of essays by experienced department chairs, deans, and vice-presidents. Each essay discusses a different aspect of people management in higher education, explaining the issues and offering suggestions and resources. The chapters are: (1) "Understanding Yourself" (Deryl R. Leaming); (2) "Understanding and Communicating…

  7. Physiological adaptations to low-volume, high-intensity interval training in health and disease.

    PubMed

    Gibala, Martin J; Little, Jonathan P; Macdonald, Maureen J; Hawley, John A

    2012-03-01

    Exercise training is a clinically proven, cost-effective, primary intervention that delays and in many cases prevents the health burdens associated with many chronic diseases. However, the precise type and dose of exercise needed to accrue health benefits is a contentious issue with no clear consensus recommendations for the prevention of inactivity-related disorders and chronic diseases. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that high-intensity interval training (HIT) can serve as an effective alternate to traditional endurance-based training, inducing similar or even superior physiological adaptations in healthy individuals and diseased populations, at least when compared on a matched-work basis. While less well studied, low-volume HIT can also stimulate physiological remodelling comparable to moderate-intensity continuous training despite a substantially lower time commitment and reduced total exercise volume. Such findings are important given that 'lack of time' remains the most commonly cited barrier to regular exercise participation. Here we review some of the mechanisms responsible for improved skeletal muscle metabolic control and changes in cardiovascular function in response to low-volume HIT. We also consider the limited evidence regarding the potential application of HIT to people with, or at risk for, cardiometabolic disorders including type 2 diabetes. Finally, we provide insight on the utility of low-volume HIT for improving performance in athletes and highlight suggestions for future research.

  8. 78 FR 64208 - Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board Chairs

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-10-28

    ... Designated Federal Officer is empowered to conduct the meeting in a fashion that will facilitate the orderly... meetings of this federal advisory board. The EM SSAB Chairs have not had a face-to-face meeting in over a...

  9. Dimensions of Leadership among Community College Health Career Program Department Chairs and Implications for Leadership Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Platz-Wiechert, Lynn Marie

    2010-01-01

    Given the growth in community colleges, the projected need for health career workers, and the central position of the department chair in higher education, this study explored dimensions of leadership as identified by health career department chairs in five Illinois community colleges. Areas of study included: (a) professional profiles of health…

  10. Neuro-Analogical Gate Tuning of Trajectory Data Fusion for a Mecanum-Wheeled Special Needs Chair

    PubMed Central

    ElSaharty, M. A.; zakzouk, Ezz Eldin

    2017-01-01

    Trajectory tracking of mobile wheeled chairs using internal shaft encoder and inertia measurement unit(IMU), exhibits several complications and accumulated errors in the tracking process due to wheel slippage, offset drift and integration approximations. These errors can be realized when comparing localization results from such sensors with a camera tracking system. In long trajectory tracking, such errors can accumulate and result in significant deviations which make data from these sensors unreliable for tracking. Meanwhile the utilization of an external camera tracking system is not always a feasible solution depending on the implementation environment. This paper presents a novel sensor fusion method that combines the measurements of internal sensors to accurately predict the location of the wheeled chair in an environment. The method introduces a new analogical OR gate structured with tuned parameters using multi-layer feedforward neural network denoted as “Neuro-Analogical Gate” (NAG). The resulting system minimize any deviation error caused by the sensors, thus accurately tracking the wheeled chair location without the requirement of an external camera tracking system. The fusion methodology has been tested with a prototype Mecanum wheel-based chair, and significant improvement over tracking response, error and performance has been observed. PMID:28045973

  11. Integrated physiological mechanisms of exercise performance, adaptation, and maladaptation to heat stress.

    PubMed

    Sawka, Michael N; Leon, Lisa R; Montain, Scott J; Sonna, Larry A

    2011-10-01

    This article emphasizes significant recent advances regarding heat stress and its impact on exercise performance, adaptations, fluid electrolyte imbalances, and pathophysiology. During exercise-heat stress, the physiological burden of supporting high skin blood flow and high sweating rates can impose considerable cardiovascular strain and initiate a cascade of pathophysiological events leading to heat stroke. We examine the association between heat stress, particularly high skin temperature, on diminishing cardiovascular/aerobic reserves as well as increasing relative intensity and perceptual cues that degrade aerobic exercise performance. We discuss novel systemic (heat acclimation) and cellular (acquired thermal tolerance) adaptations that improve performance in hot and temperate environments and protect organs from heat stroke as well as other dissimilar stresses. We delineate how heat stroke evolves from gut underperfusion/ischemia causing endotoxin release or the release of mitochondrial DNA fragments in response to cell necrosis, to mediate a systemic inflammatory syndrome inducing coagulopathies, immune dysfunction, cytokine modulation, and multiorgan damage and failure. We discuss how an inflammatory response that induces simultaneous fever and/or prior exposure to a pathogen (e.g., viral infection) that deactivates molecular protective mechanisms interacts synergistically with the hyperthermia of exercise to perhaps explain heat stroke cases reported in low-risk populations performing routine activities. Importantly, we question the "traditional" notion that high core temperature is the critical mediator of exercise performance degradation and heat stroke. Published 2011. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  12. Proposal for a universal measurement system for school chairs and desks for children from 6 to 10 years old.

    PubMed

    Carneiro, Vitor; Gomes, Ângela; Rangel, Bárbara

    2017-01-01

    In a primary education classroom of any country, children of the same age have very different statures, reaching variations of 200 mm (Gonçalves, 2012). However, the school furniture provided is not suitable or adaptable to these differences. Designing school furniture able to respond to these variations is, therefore, a challenge for ergonomics and design in a global market. It is clearly not viable for industries to adapt productions for each country. When competitiveness and limitation of resources are essential for the viability of any product it becomes essential to find a universal system adapted to the requisites of any country. Taking as prescription measure the popliteal height obtained from the data of different countries, a universal measurement system for the school chair and desk set is proposed, combining the ellipse methodology used by Molenbroek et al. (2003) and the (mis)match equations mentioned by Castellucci et al. (2014b). From the results obtained, it can be concluded that only 5 sizes are needed to implement this new measurement system of evolutionary school furniture for the primary education classroom. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Physiological impact of transposable elements encoding DDE transposases in the environmental adaptation of Streptococcus agalactiae.

    PubMed

    Fléchard, Maud; Gilot, Philippe

    2014-07-01

    We have referenced and described Streptococcus agalactiae transposable elements encoding DDE transposases. These elements belonged to nine families of insertion sequences (ISs) and to a family of conjugative transposons (TnGBSs). An overview of the physiological impact of the insertion of all these elements is provided. DDE-transposable elements affect S. agalactiae in a number of aspects of its capability to adapt to various environments and modulate the expression of several virulence genes, the scpB-lmB genomic region and the genes involved in capsule expression and haemolysin transport being the targets of several different mobile elements. The referenced mobile elements modify S. agalactiae behaviour by transferring new gene(s) to its genome, by modifying the expression of neighbouring genes at the integration site or by promoting genomic rearrangements. Transposition of some of these elements occurs in vivo, suggesting that by dynamically regulating some adaptation and/or virulence genes, they improve the ability of S. agalactiae to reach different niches within its host and ensure the 'success' of the infectious process. © 2014 The Authors.

  14. Musical Chairs: An Innovative Teaching and Learning Method

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kuo, Ya-Hui

    2010-01-01

    How teaching and learning takes place in classrooms can be easily seen by the way classrooms are set up: Students' desks and chairs are arranged in rolls while teachers' desks are up front. Yet, why must teachers be the ones who lecture, why can't it be students? Would it be better or worse when teachers are the receivers and the students are the…

  15. The effect of chair yoga in older adults with moderate and severe Alzheimer's disease.

    PubMed

    McCaffrey, Ruth; Park, Juyoung; Newman, David; Hagen, Dyana

    2014-01-01

    Using a quasi-experimental single-group design, this study examined the feasibility of older adults with Alzheimer's disease (AD)-type dementia to complete the Sit 'N' Fit Chair Yoga Program. Physical function of participants who completed the program was measured. The nine older adults with AD (mean age = 83) participated in the 8-week Sit 'N' Fit Chair Yoga Program. To measure physical function, the Six-Minute Walk Test, the Gait Speed Test, and the Berg Balance Scale were administered at pre-intervention, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 1 month after program completion. All participants completed the program. Positive changes were seen across all physical measures. Further study, using a larger sample and including a control group, is needed to fully determine the effect of the Sit 'N' Fit Chair Yoga Program on older adults with moderate to severe AD. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

  16. Adaptive Calibration of Children's Physiological Responses to Family Stress: The Utility of Evolutionary Developmental Theory--Comment on Del Giudice et al. (2012) and Sturge-Apple et al. (2012)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bugental, Daphne Blunt

    2012-01-01

    Children's physiological reactions to stress are presented from the broader theoretical perspective of adaptive calibration to the environment, as rooted in life history theory. Del Giudice, Hinnant, Ellis, and El-Sheikh (2012) focus on children's physiological responses to a stressful task as a consequence of their history of family stress.…

  17. Effectiveness of a Batteryless and Wireless Wearable Sensor System for Identifying Bed and Chair Exits in Healthy Older People

    PubMed Central

    Shinmoto Torres, Roberto Luis; Visvanathan, Renuka; Hoskins, Stephen; van den Hengel, Anton; Ranasinghe, Damith C.

    2016-01-01

    Aging populations are increasing worldwide and strategies to minimize the impact of falls on older people need to be examined. Falls in hospitals are common and current hospital technological implementations use localized sensors on beds and chairs to alert caregivers of unsupervised patient ambulations; however, such systems have high false alarm rates. We investigate the recognition of bed and chair exits in real-time using a wireless wearable sensor worn by healthy older volunteers. Fourteen healthy older participants joined in supervised trials. They wore a batteryless, lightweight and wireless sensor over their attire and performed a set of broadly scripted activities. We developed a movement monitoring approach for the recognition of bed and chair exits based on a machine learning activity predictor. We investigated the effectiveness of our approach in generating bed and chair exit alerts in two possible clinical deployments (Room 1 and Room 2). The system obtained recall results above 93% (Room 2) and 94% (Room 1) for bed and chair exits, respectively. Precision was >78% and 67%, respectively, while F-score was >84% and 77% for bed and chair exits, respectively. This system has potential for real-time monitoring but further research in the final target population of older people is necessary. PMID:27092506

  18. Fluid shifts and endocrine responses during chair rest and water immersion in man

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Greenleaf, J. E.; Shvartz, E.; Kravik, S.; Keil, L. C.

    1980-01-01

    The effects of external water pressure on intercompartmental fluid volume shifts and endocrine responses in man are investigated. Extracellular fluid volumes and plasma and urine electrolyte and endocrine responses of four male subjects were measured during eight hours of head-out water immersion and 16 hours of recovery bed rest and compared to responses obtained during eight hours of chair rest and 16 hours of bed rest without external hydrostatic pressure obtained in the same subjects five months later. Immersion is found to result in a substantial diuresis with respect to chair rest, accounted for by decreases in extracellular volume. A negative water balance during immersion and a positive water balance during chair rest were observed to be accompanied by a shift of extracellular volume to the intracellular compartment, as well as the suppression of plasma arginine vasopressin and renin activities in both regimes. The vasopressin and renin activity decreases are attributed to the increased central blood volume, and half of the plasma loss in immersed subjects is attributed to the effects of external water pressure.

  19. Bourdieu, Department Chairs and the Reform of Science Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Melville, Wayne; Hardy, Ian; Bartley, Anthony

    2011-01-01

    Using the insights of the French sociologist, Pierre Bourdieu, this article considers the role of the science department chair in the reform of school science education. Using Bourdieu's "thinking tools" of "field", "habitus" and "capital", we case study the work of two teachers who both actively pursue the teaching and learning of science as…

  20. Intestinal mucosal atrophy and adaptation

    PubMed Central

    Shaw, Darcy; Gohil, Kartik; Basson, Marc D

    2012-01-01

    Mucosal adaptation is an essential process in gut homeostasis. The intestinal mucosa adapts to a range of pathological conditions including starvation, short-gut syndrome, obesity, and bariatric surgery. Broadly, these adaptive functions can be grouped into proliferation and differentiation. These are influenced by diverse interactions with hormonal, immune, dietary, nervous, and mechanical stimuli. It seems likely that clinical outcomes can be improved by manipulating the physiology of adaptation. This review will summarize current understanding of the basic science surrounding adaptation, delineate the wide range of potential targets for therapeutic intervention, and discuss how these might be incorporated into an overall treatment plan. Deeper insight into the physiologic basis of adaptation will identify further targets for intervention to improve clinical outcomes. PMID:23197881

  1. Toward creating family-friendly work environments in pediatrics: baseline data from pediatric department chairs and pediatric program directors.

    PubMed

    McPhillips, Heather A; Burke, Ann E; Sheppard, Kate; Pallant, Adam; Stapleton, F Bruder; Stanton, Bonita

    2007-03-01

    The objective was to determine baseline characteristics of pediatric residency training programs and academic departments in regard to family-friendly work environments as outlined in the Report of the Task Force on Women in Pediatrics. We conducted Web-based anonymous surveys of 147 pediatric department chairs and 203 pediatric program directors. The chair's questionnaire asked about child care, lactation facilities, family leave policies, work-life balance, and tenure and promotion policies. The program director's questionnaire asked about family leave, parenting, work-life balance, and perceptions of "family-friendliness." The response rate was 52% for program directors and 51% for chairs. Nearly 60% of chairs reported some access to child care or provided assistance locating child care; however, in half of these departments, demand almost always exceeded supply. Lactation facilities were available to breastfeeding faculty in 74% of departments, although only 57% provided access to breast pumps. A total of 78% of chairs and 90% of program directors reported written maternity leave policies with slightly fewer reporting paternity leave policies. The majority (83%) of chairs reported availability of part-time employment, whereas only 27% of program directors offered part-time residency options. Most departments offered some flexibility in promotion and tenure. Although progress has been made, change still is needed in many areas in pediatric departments and training programs, including better accessibility to quality child care; improved lactation facilities for breastfeeding mothers; clear, written parental leave policies; and flexible work schedules to accommodate changing demands of family life.

  2. How to study placebo responses in motion sickness with a rotation chair paradigm in healthy participants.

    PubMed

    Weimer, Katja; Horing, Björn; Muth, Eric R; Enck, Paul

    2014-12-14

    Placebo responses occur in every medical intervention when patients or participants expect to receive an effective treatment to relieve symptoms. However, underlying mechanisms of placebo responses are not fully understood. It has repeatedly been shown that placebo responses are associated with changes in neural activity but for many conditions it is unclear whether they also affect the target organ, such as the stomach in motion sickness. Therefore, we present a methodology for the multivariate assessment of placebo responses by subjective, behavioral and objective measures in motion sickness with a rotation chair paradigm. The physiological correlate of motion sickness is a shift in gastric myoelectrical activity towards tachygastria that can be recorded with electrogastrography. The presented study applied the so-called balanced placebo design (BPD) to investigate the effects of ginger compared to placebo and the effects of expectations by verbal information. However, the study revealed no significant main or interactional effects of ginger (as a drug) or information on outcome measures but showed interactions when sex of participants and experimenters are taken into considerations. We discuss limitations of the presented study and report modifications that were used in subsequent studies demonstrating placebo responses when rotation speed was lowered. In general, future placebo studies have to identify the appropriate target organ for the studied placebo responses and to apply the specific methods to assess the physiological correlates.

  3. Preventive Chair Massage with Algometry to Maintain Psychosomatic Balance in White-Collar Workers.

    PubMed

    Cabak, Anna; Mikicin, Mirosław; Łyp, Marek; Stanisławska, Iwona; Kaczor, Ryszard; Tomaszewski, Wiesław

    2017-01-01

    People working at computers often suffer from overload-related muscle pain, and physical and mental discomfort. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of chair massage, conducted in the workplace among white-collar workers, in relieving symptoms of musculoskeletal strain related to prolonged sitting posture. The study was conducted in 124 white-collar workers, 55 women and 69 men, aged 33.7 ± 7.6 years. Subjects were randomly assigned to three groups: chair massage program, relaxing music sessions, and a control group, each of four-week duration. Each group was evaluated before and after the program completion. Pain perception was assessed algometrically as a threshold for compression pain of neck muscles, measured in kg/cm 2 . The relaxation level was assessed from the heart rate variability. We found that the chair massage increased both the pain threshold in all tested muscles (p < 0.001) and the relaxation level from 31.9% to 41.6% (p < 0.05). In the group with music sessions, muscle pain threshold remained unchanged, except for the trapezoid muscle where it decreased (p < 0.05), while the relaxation level increased from 26.0% to 33.3% (p < 0.05). In both massage and relaxing music groups, there was a significant decrease in muscle tension (p < 0.01). Changes in the control group were inappreciable. We conclude that the chair massage performed in the workplace is an effective method for prevention of musculoskeletal overstrain related to prolonged sitting posture. The program seems worth implementing in various occupational environments.

  4. The effectiveness of a chair intervention in the workplace to reduce musculoskeletal symptoms. A systematic review.

    PubMed

    van Niekerk, Sjan-Mari; Louw, Quinette Abigail; Hillier, Susan

    2012-08-13

    Prolonged sitting has been associated with musculoskeletal dysfunction. For desk workers, workstation modifications frequently address the work surface and chair. Chairs which can prevent abnormal strain of the neuromuscular system may aid in preventing musculo-skeletal pain and discomfort. Anecdotally, adjustability of the seat height and the seat pan depth to match the anthropometrics of the user is the most commonly recommended intervention. Within the constraints of the current economic climate, employers demand evidence for the benefits attributed to an investment in altering workstations, however this evidence-base is currently unclear both in terms of the strength of the evidence and the nature of the chair features. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness of chair interventions in reducing workplace musculoskeletal symptoms. Pubmed, Cinahl, Pedro, ProQuest, SCOPUS and PhysioFocus were searched. 'Ergonomic intervention', 'chair', 'musculoskeletal symptoms', 'ergonomics', 'seated work' were used in all the databases. Articles were included if they investigated the influence of chair modifications as an intervention; participants were in predominantly seated occupations; employed a pre/post design (with or without control or randomising) and if the outcome measure included neuro-musculoskeletal comfort and/or postural alignment. The risk of bias was assessed using a tool based on The Cochrane Handbook. Five studies were included in the review. The number of participants varied from 4 to 293 participants. Three of the five studies were Randomised Controlled Trials, one pre and post-test study was conducted and one single case, multiple baselines (ABAB) study was done. Three studies were conducted in a garment factory, one in an office environment and one with university students. All five studies found a reduction in self-reported musculoskeletal pain immediately after the intervention. Bias was introduced due to poor

  5. Development of a Virtual Presence Sharing System Using a Telework Chair

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ishii, Yutaka; Watanabe, Tomio

    There has been much discussion on remote communication support for a telework that will enable employees to work at remote offices. We have already developed a remote communication support system via embodied avatars based on users’ behaviors. However, there are various problems associated with an avatar-mediated interaction, particularly with regard to the relation between users and their avatars. In this study, we propose the concept of a presence sharing system Ghatcha [GHost Avatar on a Telework CHAir] in which the users’ embodiment is not indicated by the avatars but by the chairs that suggest the presence of avatars. This system provides the same communication space for the users’ embodiment, thus creating a feeling of working alongside remote workers. Moreover, the effectiveness of the prototype system is confirmed in the experiment.

  6. p21Cip1 plays a critical role in the physiological adaptation to fasting through activation of PPARα.

    PubMed

    Lopez-Guadamillas, Elena; Fernandez-Marcos, Pablo J; Pantoja, Cristina; Muñoz-Martin, Maribel; Martínez, Dolores; Gómez-López, Gonzalo; Campos-Olivas, Ramón; Valverde, Angela M; Serrano, Manuel

    2016-10-10

    Fasting is a physiological stress that elicits well-known metabolic adaptations, however, little is known about the role of stress-responsive tumor suppressors in fasting. Here, we have examined the expression of several tumor suppressors upon fasting in mice. Interestingly, p21 mRNA is uniquely induced in all the tissues tested, particularly in liver and muscle (>10 fold), and this upregulation is independent of p53. Remarkably, in contrast to wild-type mice, p21-null mice become severely morbid after prolonged fasting. The defective adaptation to fasting of p21-null mice is associated to elevated energy expenditure, accelerated depletion of fat stores, and premature activation of protein catabolism in the muscle. Analysis of the liver transcriptome and cell-based assays revealed that the absence of p21 partially impairs the transcriptional program of PPARα, a key regulator of fasting metabolism. Finally, treatment of p21-null mice with a PPARα agonist substantially protects them from their accelerated loss of fat upon fasting. We conclude that p21 plays a relevant role in fasting adaptation through the positive regulation of PPARα.

  7. Development of Leadership Skills in Community College Department Chairs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sirkis, Jocelyn Eager

    2011-01-01

    The role of a community college department chairperson is not well defined and the job is often perceived as more of a burden than an honor. Faculty come to the position frequently by "default" and without a ready set of management and leadership skills. The matter is of concern since chairs influence academic department strategy, culture, and…

  8. When Women Are Equal: The Canada Research Chair Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grant, Karen R.; Drakich, Janice

    2011-01-01

    This paper focuses on the gendered nature of elite academic careers. Of interest is how similar or different the experiences are of women and men who have been appointed to Canada Research Chairs (CRCs). In particular, we examine the impacts of holding a CRC position and consider the factors that shape that experience for women and men. Based on…

  9. Chairing and Caring: Gendered Dimensions of Leadership in Academe

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Acker, Sandra

    2012-01-01

    This article uses three frames of analysis, each with gendered implications, to interpret the author's narrative of experience as a department chair (head of department) in a Canadian university from 1999 to 2002. The narrative is based not only on memory but on transcripts of interviews conducted with the author at various points during her term…

  10. Brachial plexus palsy with the use of haloperidol and a geriatric chair.

    PubMed

    King, T; Mallet, L

    1991-10-01

    An 81-year-old white man was admitted to an intermediate care facility because of increased wandering and confusion secondary to dementia. On the first day after admission, the patient tried to leave the facility and was hitting and kicking the employees. Haloperidol 0.5 mg tid was prescribed to help control his behavior. He became more agitated and confused; haloperidol was then increased to 1 mg qid and the patient was confined to a geriatric chair to prevent injuries. Cogwheel movements, rigidity, and marked sedation were documented. A right brachial plexus palsy was diagnosed. This case demonstrated the hazards of two commonly used interventions in a nursing home: antipsychotic agents and the geriatric chair.

  11. Improvement of the Chairs in Classrooms for Better Sitting Posture of Children

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ishihara, Keiko; Dake, Kazuo; Ishihara, Shigekazu

    2010-10-01

    We sought to improve the sitting postures of children studying in the classrooms of a primary school. We made the seat of a standard chair lower and attached a cushion designed by one of the authors. The cushion is cut at a 25° downward angle toward the legs to allow the users to support their weight with their feet and alleviate pressure on the underside of the thighs. We also lowered the desktop to below the height of children's elbows. Eighty-three children were given the new chairs and desks, and they were observed over 7 months. Around 10% of them voluntarily maintained good sitting postures; others straightened their postures when the teachers reminded them to do so.

  12. Innoversity in knowledge-for-action and adaptation to climate change: the first steps of an 'evidence-based climatic health' transfrontier training program.

    PubMed

    Lapaige, Véronique; Essiembre, Hélène

    2010-01-01

    It has become increasingly clear to the international scientific community that climate change is real and has important consequences for human health. To meet these new challenges, the World Health Organization recommends reinforcing the adaptive capacity of health systems. One of the possible avenues in this respect is to promote awareness and knowledge translation in climatic health, at both the local and global scales. Within such perspective, two major themes have emerged in the field of public health research: 1) the development of advanced training adapted to 'global environment' change and to the specific needs of various groups of actors (doctors, nurses, public health practitioners, health care managers, public service managers, local communities, etc) and 2) the development of strategies for implementing research results and applying various types of evidence to the management of public health issues affected by climate change. Progress on these two fronts will depend on maximum innovation in transdisciplinary and transsectoral collaborations. The general purpose of this article is to present the program of a new research and learning chair designed for this double set of developmental objectives - a chair that emphasizes 'innoversity' (the dynamic relationship between innovation and diversity) and 'transfrontier ecolearning for adaptive actions'. The Écoapprentissages, santé mentale et climat collaborative research chair (University of Montreal and Quebec National Public Health Institute) based in Montreal is a center for 'transdisciplinary research' on the transfrontier knowledge-for-action that can aid adaptation of the public health sector, the public mental health sector, and the public service sector to climate change, as well as a center for complex collaborations on evidence-based climatic health 'training'. This program-focused article comprises two main sections. The first section presents the 'general' and 'specific contexts' in which the

  13. Evolution of adaptation mechanisms: Adaptation energy, stress, and oscillating death.

    PubMed

    Gorban, Alexander N; Tyukina, Tatiana A; Smirnova, Elena V; Pokidysheva, Lyudmila I

    2016-09-21

    In 1938, Selye proposed the notion of adaptation energy and published 'Experimental evidence supporting the conception of adaptation energy.' Adaptation of an animal to different factors appears as the spending of one resource. Adaptation energy is a hypothetical extensive quantity spent for adaptation. This term causes much debate when one takes it literally, as a physical quantity, i.e. a sort of energy. The controversial points of view impede the systematic use of the notion of adaptation energy despite experimental evidence. Nevertheless, the response to many harmful factors often has general non-specific form and we suggest that the mechanisms of physiological adaptation admit a very general and nonspecific description. We aim to demonstrate that Selye׳s adaptation energy is the cornerstone of the top-down approach to modelling of non-specific adaptation processes. We analyze Selye׳s axioms of adaptation energy together with Goldstone׳s modifications and propose a series of models for interpretation of these axioms. Adaptation energy is considered as an internal coordinate on the 'dominant path' in the model of adaptation. The phenomena of 'oscillating death' and 'oscillating remission' are predicted on the base of the dynamical models of adaptation. Natural selection plays a key role in the evolution of mechanisms of physiological adaptation. We use the fitness optimization approach to study of the distribution of resources for neutralization of harmful factors, during adaptation to a multifactor environment, and analyze the optimal strategies for different systems of factors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. 75 FR 44767 - Folding Metal Tables and Chairs From the People's Republic of China: Initiation of New Shipper...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-07-29

    ... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-570-868] Folding Metal Tables and... review of the antidumping duty order on folding metal tables and chairs (``FMTCs'') from the People's... on June 27, 2002. See Antidumping Duty Order: Folding Metal Tables and Chairs From the People's...

  15. Autogenic-feedback training: A preventive method for space adaptation syndrome

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cowings, Patricia S.; Sharp, Joseph C.; Toscano, William B.; Kamiya, Joe; Miller, Neal E.

    1987-01-01

    The progress made to date on the reduction of data for Spacelab 3 Shuttle experiment, No. 3AFT23 is reported. Four astronauts participated as subjects in this experiment. Crewmen A and B served as treatment subjects (i.e., received preflight training for control of their own motion sickness symptoms) and Crewmen C and D served as control (i.e., did not receive training). A preliminary evaluation of Autogenic Feedback Training (AFT) was made from visual inspections of graphs that were generated from the preflight and inflight and inflight physiological data which included: (1) Baseline rotating chair tests for all crewmen; (2) Posttraining rotating chair tests of treatment groups subjects; (3) Preflight data from Joint Integrated Simulations for all crewmen; and (4) Flight data for all crewmen during mission days 0 through 4, and mission day 6 for treatment subjects only. A summary of the findings suggested by these data is outlined.

  16. [Key points for esthetic rehabilitation of anterior teeth using chair-side computer aided design and computer aided manufacture technique].

    PubMed

    Yang, J; Feng, H L

    2018-04-09

    With the rapid development of the chair-side computer aided design and computer aided manufacture (CAD/CAM) technology, its accuracy and operability of have been greatly improved in recent years. Chair-side CAD/CAM system may produce all kinds of indirect restorations, and has the advantages of rapid, accurate and stable production. It has become the future development direction of Stomatology. This paper describes the clinical application of the chair-side CAD/CAM technology for anterior aesthetic restorations from the aspects of shade and shape.

  17. Aspergillus Hyphae in Infected Tissue: Evidence of Physiologic Adaptation and Effect on Culture Recovery

    PubMed Central

    Tarrand, Jeffrey J.; Han, Xiang Y.; Kontoyiannis, Dimitrios P.; May, Gregory S.

    2005-01-01

    Microbiologic cultures of fungi are routinely incubated at ambient temperatures in room air, and the rate of recovery of Aspergillus species from clinical specimens is poor. Failure of current culture methods to mimic the physiologic temperature and low-oxygen environment found in hypha-laden infected tissue may underlie this poor recovery. Experiments were performed to compare the recovery of Aspergillus spp. incubated at 35°C in 6% O2-10% CO2 with that at 25°C in room air. The samples tested included Aspergillus-infected tissue specimens from a dog model and human autopsies, experimental anaerobically stressed Aspergillus inocula, and 10,062 consecutive clinical specimens. Culture at 35°C in 6% O2-10% CO2 significantly enhanced the recovery of Aspergillus spp. from the infected autopsy tissue samples. Incubation at 35°C alone resulted in approximately 10-fold-improved culture recovery from the experimentally stressed hyphae, and the 6% O2-10% CO2 atmosphere independently favored growth under temperature-matched conditions. Finally, incubation at 35°C (in room air) improved the overall recovery of Aspergillus spp. from clinical specimens by 31%. Culture at 35°C in a microaerobic atmosphere significantly enhances the recovery of Aspergillus spp. from various sources. Aspergillus hyphae growing in infected tissue appear to be adapted to the physiologic temperature and hypoxic milieu. PMID:15634998

  18. Aspergillus hyphae in infected tissue: evidence of physiologic adaptation and effect on culture recovery.

    PubMed

    Tarrand, Jeffrey J; Han, Xiang Y; Kontoyiannis, Dimitrios P; May, Gregory S

    2005-01-01

    Microbiologic cultures of fungi are routinely incubated at ambient temperatures in room air, and the rate of recovery of Aspergillus species from clinical specimens is poor. Failure of current culture methods to mimic the physiologic temperature and low-oxygen environment found in hypha-laden infected tissue may underlie this poor recovery. Experiments were performed to compare the recovery of Aspergillus spp. incubated at 35 degrees C in 6% O(2)-10% CO(2) with that at 25 degrees C in room air. The samples tested included Aspergillus-infected tissue specimens from a dog model and human autopsies, experimental anaerobically stressed Aspergillus inocula, and 10,062 consecutive clinical specimens. Culture at 35 degrees C in 6% O(2)-10% CO(2) significantly enhanced the recovery of Aspergillus spp. from the infected autopsy tissue samples. Incubation at 35 degrees C alone resulted in approximately 10-fold-improved culture recovery from the experimentally stressed hyphae, and the 6% O(2)-10% CO(2) atmosphere independently favored growth under temperature-matched conditions. Finally, incubation at 35 degrees C (in room air) improved the overall recovery of Aspergillus spp. from clinical specimens by 31%. Culture at 35 degrees C in a microaerobic atmosphere significantly enhances the recovery of Aspergillus spp. from various sources. Aspergillus hyphae growing in infected tissue appear to be adapted to the physiologic temperature and hypoxic milieu.

  19. Effects of chair restraint on the strength of the tibia in rhesus monkeys

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hutchinson, T. M.; Bakulin, A. V.; Rakhmanov, A. S.; Martin, R. B.; Steele, C. R.; Arnaud, S. B.

    2001-01-01

    To determine the effects of the relative inactivity and unloading on the strength of the tibias of monkeys, Macaca mulatta, we used a non-invasive test to measure bending stiffness, or EI (Nm2), a mechanical property. The technique was validated by comparisons of in vivo measurements with standard measures of EI in the same bones post-mortem (r2 = 0.95, P < 0.0001). Inter-test precision was 4.28+/-1.4%. Normative data in 24 monkeys, 3.0+/-0.7 years and 3.6+/-0.6 kg, revealed EI to be 16% higher in the right than left tibia (4.4+/-1.6 vs. 3.7+/-1.6 Nm2, P < 0.05). Five monkeys, restrained in chairs for 14 days, showed decreases in EI. There were no changes in EI in two chaired monkeys that lost weight during a 2-week space flight. The factors that account for both the decreases in bone mechanical properties after chair restraint at 1 g and lack of change after microgravity remain to be identified. Metabolic factors associated with body weight changes are suggested by our results.

  20. Gravitational adaptation of animals

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smith, A. H.; Burton, R. R.

    1982-01-01

    The effect of gravitational adaptation is studied in a group of five Leghorn cocks which had become physiologically adapted to 2 G after 162 days of centrifugation. After this period of adaptation, they are periodically exposed to a 2 G field, accompanied by five previously unexposed hatch-mates, and the degree of retained acceleration adaptation is estimated from the decrease in lymphocyte frequency after 24 hr at 2 G. Results show that the previously adapted birds exhibit an 84% greater lymphopenia than the unexposed birds, and that the lymphocyte frequency does not decrease to a level below that found at the end of 162 days at 2 G. In addition, the capacity for adaptation to chronic acceleration is found to be highly heritable. An acceleration tolerant strain of birds shows lesser mortality during chronic acceleration, particularly in intermediate fields, although the result of acceleration selection is largely quantitative (a greater number of survivors) rather than qualitative (behavioral or physiological changes).

  1. A randomized controlled trial of chair interventions on back and hip pain among sewing machine operators: the los angeles garment study.

    PubMed

    Wang, Pin-Chieh; Ritz, Beate R; Janowitz, Ira; Harrison, Robert J; Yu, Fei; Chan, Jacqueline; Rempel, David M

    2008-03-01

    Determine whether an adjustable chair with a curved or a flat seat pan improved monthly back and hip pain scores in sewing machine operators. This 4-month intervention study randomized 293 sewing machine operators with back and hip pain. The participants in the control group received a placebo intervention, and participants in the intervention groups received the placebo intervention and one of the two intervention chairs. Compared with the control group, mean pain improvement for the flat chair intervention was 0.43 points (95% CI = 0.34, 0.51) per month, and mean pain improvement for the curved chair intervention was 0.25 points (95% CI = 0.16, 0.34) per month. A height-adjustable task chair with a swivel function can reduce back and hip pain in sewing machine operators. The findings may be relevant to workers who perform visual- and hand-intensive manufacturing jobs.

  2. Human heat adaptation.

    PubMed

    Taylor, Nigel A S

    2014-01-01

    In this overview, human morphological and functional adaptations during naturally and artificially induced heat adaptation are explored. Through discussions of adaptation theory and practice, a theoretical basis is constructed for evaluating heat adaptation. It will be argued that some adaptations are specific to the treatment used, while others are generalized. Regarding ethnic differences in heat tolerance, the case is put that reported differences in heat tolerance are not due to natural selection, but can be explained on the basis of variations in adaptation opportunity. These concepts are expanded to illustrate how traditional heat adaptation and acclimatization represent forms of habituation, and thermal clamping (controlled hyperthermia) is proposed as a superior model for mechanistic research. Indeed, this technique has led to questioning the perceived wisdom of body-fluid changes, such as the expansion and subsequent decay of plasma volume, and sudomotor function, including sweat habituation and redistribution. Throughout, this contribution was aimed at taking another step toward understanding the phenomenon of heat adaptation and stimulating future research. In this regard, research questions are posed concerning the influence that variations in morphological configuration may exert upon adaptation, the determinants of postexercise plasma volume recovery, and the physiological mechanisms that modify the cholinergic sensitivity of sweat glands, and changes in basal metabolic rate and body core temperature following adaptation. © 2014 American Physiological Society.

  3. Adaptive cyclic physiologic noise modeling and correction in functional MRI.

    PubMed

    Beall, Erik B

    2010-03-30

    Physiologic noise in BOLD-weighted MRI data is known to be a significant source of the variance, reducing the statistical power and specificity in fMRI and functional connectivity analyses. We show a dramatic improvement on current noise correction methods in both fMRI and fcMRI data that avoids overfitting. The traditional noise model is a Fourier series expansion superimposed on the periodicity of parallel measured breathing and cardiac cycles. Correction using this model results in removal of variance matching the periodicity of the physiologic cycles. Using this framework allows easy modeling of noise. However, using a large number of regressors comes at the cost of removing variance unrelated to physiologic noise, such as variance due to the signal of functional interest (overfitting the data). It is our hypothesis that there are a small variety of fits that describe all of the significantly coupled physiologic noise. If this is true, we can replace a large number of regressors used in the model with a smaller number of the fitted regressors and thereby account for the noise sources with a smaller reduction in variance of interest. We describe these extensions and demonstrate that we can preserve variance in the data unrelated to physiologic noise while removing physiologic noise equivalently, resulting in data with a higher effective SNR than with current corrections techniques. Our results demonstrate a significant improvement in the sensitivity of fMRI (up to a 17% increase in activation volume for fMRI compared with higher order traditional noise correction) and functional connectivity analyses. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Evaluation of a pilot peer observation of teaching scheme for chair-side tutors at Glasgow University Dental School.

    PubMed

    Cairns, A M; Bissell, V; Bovill, C

    2013-06-01

    To introduce and examine a pilot peer observation of teaching (POT) scheme within the Department of Paediatric Dentistry at Glasgow Dental School and its associated outreach centres. All tutors teaching paediatric dentistry were invited to be involved in evaluation of the POT scheme. Participants were randomly paired with a peer, who then observed their teaching and provided constructive feedback. For those consenting to be involved in the evaluation of the scheme, semi-structured, one-to-one interviews were carried out by the principal investigator. POT was found by all participants to be a beneficial process, reassuring those of their teaching styles and giving them ideas to adapt their teaching. POT is an effective method for engaging chair-side tutors in the reflection and development of their teaching practice via observations and scholarly discussion.

  5. Adaptive physiological response, carbon partitioning, and biomass production of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal grown under elevated CO2 regimes.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Rupali; Singh, Hukum; Kaushik, Monica; Nautiyal, Raman; Singh, Ombir

    2018-06-01

    Winter cherry or Ashwagandha ( Withania somnifera ) is an important medicinal plant used in traditional and herbal medicine system. Yet, there is no information available on response of this plant to changing climatic conditions particularly elevated atmospheric CO 2 concentrations. Therefore, we conducted an experiment to examine the effect of elevated CO 2 concentrations (ECs) on Withania somnifera . The variations in traits of physiological adaptation, net primary productivity, carbon partitioning, morphology, and biomass in response to elevated CO 2 concentrations (ambient, 600 and 800 µmol mol -1 ) during one growth cycle were investigated within the open top chamber (OTC) facility in the foothill of the Himalayas, Dehardun, India. ECs significantly increased photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, water use efficiency, soil respiration, net primary productivity and the carbon content of plant tissues (leaf, stem, and root), and soil carbon. Furthermore, ECs significantly enhanced biomass production (root and shoot), although declined night leaf respiration. Overall, it was summarized that photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, water use efficiency, leaf, and soil carbon and biomass increased under ECs rendering the physiological adaptation to the plant. Increased net primary productivity might facilitate mitigation effects by sequestering elevated levels of carbon dioxide. We advocate further studies to investigate the effects of ECs on the accumulation of secondary metabolites and health-promoting substances of this as well as other medicinal plants.

  6. The Characteristics of High School Department Chairs: A National Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeAngelis, Karen J.

    2013-01-01

    Department chairs occupy a potentially important leadership position in high schools, yet little is known about them, particularly with regard to who they are and how they compare to other high school teachers. This is surprising given growing expectations for distributed leadership practice in schools. In this study, I utilize a national dataset…

  7. A physiological adaptation to undernutrition.

    PubMed

    Balam, G; Gurri, F

    1994-01-01

    A total of 432 children under the age of 10 years were measured for height and weight, and the morbidity and mortality indices were studied in six counties of the maize region of the state of Yucatán, Mexico. Undernutrition, because of its relationship to morbidity and mortality, was considered an important selection factor operating between the ages of 6 and 24 months. It was also observed that short stature was an adaptive response to the first years of undernutrition, that allowed children to maintain an adequate body weight under conditions of nutritional stress during the first 10 years of life.

  8. Determination of a sagittal plane axis of rotation for a dynamic office chair.

    PubMed

    Bauer, C M; Rast, F M; Böck, C; Kuster, R P; Baumgartner, D

    2018-10-01

    This study investigated the location of the axis of rotation in sagittal plane movement of the spine in a free sitting condition to adjust the kinematics of a mobile seat for a dynamic chair. Dynamic office chairs are designed to avoid continuous isometric muscle activity, and to facilitate increased mobility of the back during sitting. However, these chairs incorporate increased upper body movement which could distract office workers from the performance of their tasks. A chair with an axis of rotation above the seat would facilitate a stable upper back during movements of the lower back. The selection of a natural kinematic pattern is of high importance in order to match the properties of the spine. Twenty-one participants performed four cycles of flexion and extension of the spine during an upper arm hang on parallel bars. The location of the axis of rotation relative to the seat was estimated using infrared cameras and reflective skin markers. The median axis of rotation across all participants was located 36 cm above the seat for the complete movement and 39 cm for both the flexion and extension phases, each with an interquartile range of 20 cm. There was no significant effect of the movement direction on the location of the axis of rotation and only a weak, non-significant correlation between body height and the location of the axis of rotation. Individual movement patterns explained the majority of the variance. The axis of rotation for a spinal flexion/extension movement is located above the seat. The recommended radius for a guide rail of a mobile seat is between 36 cm and 39 cm. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Physiology of man and animals in the Tenth Five-Year Plan: Proceedings of the Thirteenth Congress of the I. P. Pavlov All-Union Physiological Society

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lange, K. A.

    1980-01-01

    Research in the field of animal and human physiology is reviewed. The following topics on problems of physiological science and related fields of knowledge are discussed: neurophysiology and higher nervous activity, physiology of sensory systems, physiology of visceral systems, evolutionary and ecological physiology, physiological cybernetics, computer application in physiology, information support of physiological research, history and theory of development of physiology. Also discussed were: artificial intelligence, physiological problems of reflex therapy, correlation of structure and function of the brain, adaptation and activity, microcirculation, and physiological studies in nerve and mental diseases.

  10. Physiological breeding.

    PubMed

    Reynolds, Matthew; Langridge, Peter

    2016-06-01

    Physiological breeding crosses parents with different complex but complementary traits to achieve cumulative gene action for yield, while selecting progeny using remote sensing, possibly in combination with genomic selection. Physiological approaches have already demonstrated significant genetic gains in Australia and several developing countries of the International Wheat Improvement Network. The techniques involved (see Graphical Abstract) also provide platforms for research and refinement of breeding methodologies. Recent examples of these include screening genetic resources for novel expression of Calvin cycle enzymes, identification of common genetic bases for heat and drought adaptation, and genetic dissection of trade-offs among yield components. Such information, combined with results from physiological crosses designed to test novel trait combinations, lead to more precise breeding strategies, and feed models of genotype-by-environment interaction to help build new plant types and experimental environments for future climates. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  11. A Computer-Based Training System for American Antique Chair Styles.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    See, Maha

    A computer-based training (CBT) system was designed to train learners to recognize six styles of 18th century American antique chairs. The project consisted of five phases. The first phase consisted of a needs analysis to determine the training needs for the target population. Three groups of learners were identified: antique sales personnel,…

  12. Arthroscopically Assisted Latissimus Dorsi Tendon Transfer in Beach-Chair Position

    PubMed Central

    Jermolajevas, Viktoras; Kordasiewicz, Bartlomiej

    2015-01-01

    Irreparable rotator cuff tears remain a surgical problem. The open technique of latissimus dorsi (LD) tendon transfer to “replace” the irreparable rotator cuff is already well known. The aim of this article is to present a modified arthroscopically assisted LD tendon transfer technique. This technique was adopted to operate on patients in the beach-chair position with several improvements in tendon harvesting and fixation. It can be divided into 6 steps, and only 1 step—LD muscle and tendon release—is performed open. The advantages of the arthroscopic procedure are sparing of the deltoid muscle, the possibility of repairing the subscapularis tendon, and the ability to visualize structures at risk while performing tendon harvesting (radial nerve) and passing into the subacromial space (axillary nerve). It is performed in a similar manner to standard rotator cuff surgery—the beach-chair position does not need any modification, and no sophisticated equipment for either the open or arthroscopic part of the procedure is necessary. Nevertheless, this is a challenging procedure and should only be attempted after training, as well as extensive practice. PMID:26759777

  13. The effectiveness of a chair intervention in the workplace to reduce musculoskeletal symptoms. A systematic review

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Prolonged sitting has been associated with musculoskeletal dysfunction. For desk workers, workstation modifications frequently address the work surface and chair. Chairs which can prevent abnormal strain of the neuromuscular system may aid in preventing musculo-skeletal pain and discomfort. Anecdotally, adjustability of the seat height and the seat pan depth to match the anthropometrics of the user is the most commonly recommended intervention. Within the constraints of the current economic climate, employers demand evidence for the benefits attributed to an investment in altering workstations, however this evidence-base is currently unclear both in terms of the strength of the evidence and the nature of the chair features. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness of chair interventions in reducing workplace musculoskeletal symptoms. Methods Pubmed, Cinahl, Pedro, ProQuest, SCOPUS and PhysioFocus were searched. ‘Ergonomic intervention’, ‘chair’, ‘musculoskeletal symptoms’, ‘ergonomics’, ‘seated work’ were used in all the databases. Articles were included if they investigated the influence of chair modifications as an intervention; participants were in predominantly seated occupations; employed a pre/post design (with or without control or randomising) and if the outcome measure included neuro-musculoskeletal comfort and/or postural alignment. The risk of bias was assessed using a tool based on The Cochrane Handbook. Results Five studies were included in the review. The number of participants varied from 4 to 293 participants. Three of the five studies were Randomised Controlled Trials, one pre and post-test study was conducted and one single case, multiple baselines (ABAB) study was done. Three studies were conducted in a garment factory, one in an office environment and one with university students. All five studies found a reduction in self-reported musculoskeletal pain immediately after the

  14. Does Academic Blogging Enhance Promotion and Tenure? A Survey of US and Canadian Medicine and Pediatric Department Chairs.

    PubMed

    Cameron, Christian Blake; Nair, Vinay; Varma, Manu; Adams, Martha; Jhaveri, Kenar D; Sparks, Matthew A

    2016-06-23

    Electronic educational (e-learning) technology usage continues to grow. Many medical journals operate companion blogs (an application of e-learning technology) that enable rapid dissemination of scientific knowledge and discourse. Faculty members participating in promotion and tenure academic tracks spend valuable time and effort contributing, editing, and directing these medical journal blogs. We sought to understand whether chairs of medicine and pediatric departments acknowledge blog authorship as academic achievement. The authors surveyed 267 chairs of US and Canadian medicine and pediatric departments regarding their attitudes toward the role of faculty participation in e-learning and blogging in the promotion and tenure process. The survey completion rate was 22.8% (61/267). A majority of respondents (87%, 53/61) viewed educational scholarship as either important or very important for promotion. However, only 23% (14/61) perceived importance to faculty effort in producing content for journal-based blogs. If faculty were to participate in blog authorship, 72% (44/61) of surveyed chairs favored involvement in a journal-based versus a society-based or a personal (nonaffiliated) blog. We identified a "favorable group" of chairs (19/59, 32%), who rated leadership roles in e-learning tools as important or very important, and an "unfavorable group" of chairs (40/59, 68%), who rated leadership roles in e-learning tools as somewhat important or not important. The favorable group were more likely to be aware of faculty bloggers within their departments (58%, 11/19 vs 25%, 10/40), viewed serving on editorial boards of e-learning tools more favorably (79%, 15/19 vs 31%, 12/39), and were more likely to value effort spent contributing to journal-based blogs (53%, 10/19 vs 10%, 4/40). Our findings demonstrate that although the majority of department chairs value educational scholarship, only a minority perceive value in faculty blogging effort.

  15. Adaptive sports technology and biomechanics: wheelchairs.

    PubMed

    Cooper, Rory A; De Luigi, Arthur Jason

    2014-08-01

    Wheelchair sports are an important tool in the rehabilitation of people with severe chronic disabilities and have been a driving force for innovation in technology and practice. In this paper, we will present an overview of the adaptive technology used in Paralympic sports with a special focus on wheeled technology and the impact of design on performance (defined as achieving the greatest level of athletic ability and minimizing the risk of injury). Many advances in manual wheelchairs trace their origins to wheelchair sports. Features of wheelchairs that were used for racing and basketball 25 or more years ago have become integral to the manual wheelchairs that people now use every day; moreover, the current components used on ultralight wheelchairs also have benefitted from technological advances developed for sports wheelchairs. For example, the wheels now used on chairs for daily mobility incorporate many of the components first developed for sports chairs. Also, advances in manufacturing and the availability of aerospace materials have driven current wheelchair design and manufacture. Basic principles of sports wheelchair design are universal across sports and include fit; minimizing weight while maintaining high stiffness; minimizing rolling resistance; and optimizing the sports-specific design of the chair. However, a well-designed and fitted wheelchair is not sufficient for optimal sports performance: the athlete must be well trained, skilled, and use effective biomechanics because wheelchair athletes face some unique biomechanical challenges. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Plasticity and local adaptation explain lizard cold tolerance.

    PubMed

    Card, Daren C; Schield, Drew R; Castoe, Todd A

    2018-05-01

    How does climate variation limit the range of species and what does it take for species to colonize new regions? In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Campbell-Staton et al. () address these broad questions by investigating cold tolerance adaptation in the green anole lizard (Anolis carolinensis) across a latitudinal transect. By integrating physiological data, gene expression data and acclimation experiments, the authors disentangle the mechanisms underlying cold adaptation. They first establish that cold tolerance adaptation in Anolis lizards follows the predictions of the oxygen- and capacity-limited thermal tolerance hypothesis, which states that organisms are limited by temperature thresholds at which oxygen supply cannot meet demand. They then explore the drivers of cold tolerance at a finer scale, finding evidence that northern populations are adapted to cooler thermal regimes and that both phenotypic plasticity and heritable genetic variation contribute to cold tolerance. The integration of physiological and gene expression data further highlights the varied mechanisms that drive cold tolerance adaptation in Anolis lizards, including both supply-side and demand-side adaptations that improve oxygen economy. Altogether, their work provides new insight into the physiological and genetic mechanisms underlying adaptation to new climatic niches and demonstrates that cold tolerance in northern lizard populations is achieved through the synergy of physiological plasticity and local genetic adaptation for thermal performance. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. 76 FR 774 - Folding Metal Tables and Chairs From the People's Republic of China: Notice of Extension of Time...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-01-06

    ... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-570-868] Folding Metal Tables and... review of the antidumping duty order on folding metal tables and chairs from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''). See Folding Metal Tables and Chairs: Initiation of New Shipper Review, 75 FR 44767...

  18. Faculty Hiring and Development at BYU: Perspectives of a Recent Hire and Department Chair

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Turley, R. Steven

    2002-04-01

    I will present a personal perspective on the transition from an industrial to an academic physicist. For those planning on a similar transition, I will mention several things that were helpful in preparing myself, marketing myself, and adapting to an academic setting. For instance, a significant difference between academic and industrial physics is the responsibility of classroom teaching. Several things that proved particularly useful in improving my own teaching were mentoring teaching partnerships, student evaluations, help in the tenure and promotion process, and programs available from our Faculty Center. From my current perspective as a department chair, I will further discuss mentoring practices I have found helpful with other new faculty. These include such things as inviting mentors to participate with new faculty in development workshops and providing financial and other recognition for participation as a mentor. In addition to developing professional skills, I have found that good mentoring is particularly critical in encouraging new faculty to adapt to departmental culture. Finally, I will discuss ideas I have found helpful in successfully recruiting new faculty. This involves researching, identifying, and actively recruiting faculty we think will build our department. For us, it has not been sufficient to passively rely on responses from applicants to advertisements and word-of-mouth inquiries. Through careful hiring and effective mentoring, we have developed an excellent record of having our faculty being successful in the tenure process.

  19. 77 FR 6536 - Approval for Manufacturing Authority; Foreign-Trade Zone 177; Best Chair, Inc., d/b/a Best Home...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-02-08

    ... manufacturing authority on behalf of Best Chair, Inc., d/ b/a Best Home Furnishings, Inc., within FTZ 177 in... application for manufacturing authority under zone procedures within FTZ 177 on behalf of Best Chair, Inc., d... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Foreign-Trade Zones Board [Order No. 1807] Approval for Manufacturing...

  20. Enrichment and Physiological Characterization of a Cold-Adapted Nitrite-Oxidizing Nitrotoga sp. from an Eelgrass Sediment

    PubMed Central

    Ishii, Kento; Fujitani, Hirotsugu; Soh, Kentaro; Nakagawa, Tatsunori; Takahashi, Reiji

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) are responsible for the second step of nitrification in natural and engineered ecosystems. The recently discovered genus Nitrotoga belongs to the Betaproteobacteria and potentially has high environmental importance. Although environmental clones affiliated with Nitrotoga are widely distributed, the limited number of cultivated Nitrotoga spp. results in a poor understanding of their ecophysiological features. In this study, we successfully enriched the nonmarine cold-adapted Nitrotoga sp. strain AM1 from coastal sand in an eelgrass zone and investigated its physiological characteristics. Multistep-enrichment approaches led to an increase in the abundance of AM1 to approximately 80% of the total bacterial population. AM1 was the only detectable NOB in the bacterial community. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of AM1 was 99.6% identical to that of “Candidatus Nitrotoga arctica,” which was enriched from permafrost-affected soil. The highest nitrogen oxidation rate of AM1 was observed at 16°C. The half-saturation constant (Km) and the generation time were determined to be 25 μM NO2− and 54 h, respectively. The nitrite oxidation rate of AM1 was stimulated at concentrations of <30 mM NH4Cl but completely inhibited at 50 mM NH4Cl. AM1 can grow well under specific environmental conditions, such as low temperature and in the presence of a relatively high concentration of free ammonia. These results help improve our comprehension of the functional importance of Nitrotoga. IMPORTANCE Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) are key players in the second step of nitrification, which is an important process of the nitrogen cycle. Recent studies have suggested that the organisms of the novel NOB genus Nitrotoga were widely distributed and played a functional role in natural and engineered ecosystems. However, only a few Nitrotoga enrichments have been obtained, and little is known about their ecology and physiology. In this study, we

  1. Enrichment and Physiological Characterization of a Cold-Adapted Nitrite-Oxidizing Nitrotoga sp. from an Eelgrass Sediment.

    PubMed

    Ishii, Kento; Fujitani, Hirotsugu; Soh, Kentaro; Nakagawa, Tatsunori; Takahashi, Reiji; Tsuneda, Satoshi

    2017-07-15

    Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) are responsible for the second step of nitrification in natural and engineered ecosystems. The recently discovered genus Nitrotoga belongs to the Betaproteobacteria and potentially has high environmental importance. Although environmental clones affiliated with Nitrotoga are widely distributed, the limited number of cultivated Nitrotoga spp. results in a poor understanding of their ecophysiological features. In this study, we successfully enriched the nonmarine cold-adapted Nitrotoga sp. strain AM1 from coastal sand in an eelgrass zone and investigated its physiological characteristics. Multistep-enrichment approaches led to an increase in the abundance of AM1 to approximately 80% of the total bacterial population. AM1 was the only detectable NOB in the bacterial community. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of AM1 was 99.6% identical to that of " Candidatus Nitrotoga arctica," which was enriched from permafrost-affected soil. The highest nitrogen oxidation rate of AM1 was observed at 16°C. The half-saturation constant ( K m ) and the generation time were determined to be 25 μM NO 2 - and 54 h, respectively. The nitrite oxidation rate of AM1 was stimulated at concentrations of <30 mM NH 4 Cl but completely inhibited at 50 mM NH 4 Cl. AM1 can grow well under specific environmental conditions, such as low temperature and in the presence of a relatively high concentration of free ammonia. These results help improve our comprehension of the functional importance of Nitrotoga IMPORTANCE Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) are key players in the second step of nitrification, which is an important process of the nitrogen cycle. Recent studies have suggested that the organisms of the novel NOB genus Nitrotoga were widely distributed and played a functional role in natural and engineered ecosystems. However, only a few Nitrotoga enrichments have been obtained, and little is known about their ecology and physiology. In this study, we successfully

  2. Cardiovascular physiology - Effects of microgravity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Convertino, V.; Hoffler, G. W.

    1992-01-01

    Experiments during spaceflight and its groundbase analog, bedrest, provide consistent data which demonstrate that numerous changes in cardiovascular function occur as part of the physiological adaptation process to the microgravity environment. These include elevated heart rate and venous compliance, lowered blood volume, central venous pressure and stroke volume, and attenuated autonomic reflex functions. Although most of these adaptations are not functionally apparent during microgravity exposure, they manifest themselves during the return to the gravitational challenge of earth's terrestrial environment as orthostatic hypotension and instability, a condition which could compromise safety, health and productivity. Development and application of effective and efficient countermeasures such as saline "loading," intermittent venous pooling, pharmacological treatments, and exercise have become primary emphases of the space life sciences research effort with only limited success. Successful development of countermeasures will require knowledge of the physiological mechanisms underlying cardiovascular adaptation to microgravity which can be obtained only through controlled, parallel groundbased research to complement carefully designed flight experiments. Continued research will provide benefits for both space and clinical applications as well as enhance the basic understanding of cardiovascular homeostasis in humans.

  3. Applied physiology of triathlon.

    PubMed

    O'Toole, M L; Douglas, P S

    1995-04-01

    The triathlon is a 3-event endurance sport in which athletes compete sequentially in swimming, cycling and running. The primary determinant of success is the ability to sustain a high rate of energy expenditure for prolonged periods of time. Exercise training-induced physiological adaptations in virtually all systems of the body allow the athlete to accomplish this. Aerobic capacity (measured as maximal oxygen uptake, VO2max), economy of motion (submaximal VO2) and fractional utilisation of maximal capacity (%VO2max) reflect the integrated responses of these physiological adaptations. Numerous studies have reported relatively high mean VO2max values for various groups of triathletes that are comparable to those reported for athletes in single-event endurance sports and clearly above those reported for untrained individuals. In shorter distance triathlons and in studies using recreational (rather than elite) triathletes, VO2max is related to performance in the corresponding event of the triathlon (e.g. tethered swimming VO2max with swim time). In longer events and with more elite triathletes, VO2max correlates less well with performance. The physiological adaptations that correspond to and facilitate improved VO2max occur centrally in the cardiovascular system, centred on increased maximal cardiac output, and peripherally in the metabolic systems, centred around increased arterio-venous O2 (a-v O2) difference. While a high VO2max in individuals is clearly of importance to triathlon performance, energy output must be sustained for long periods of time, making economy of motion also very important. Studies suggests that competitive swimmers have better swimming economy than triathletes. However, since many triathletes have previously been competitive swimmers this finding is questionable. The finding suggests that triathletes from nonswimming backgrounds would benefit from improving swimming technique rather than concentrating training workouts solely on distance. In

  4. Human Adaptation to Space: Space Physiology and Countermeasures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fogarty, Jennifer

    2009-01-01

    This viewgraph presentation reviews human physiological responses to spaceflight, and the countermeasures taken to prevent adverse effects of manned space flight. The topics include: 1) Human Spaceflight Experience; 2) Human Response to Spaceflight; 3) ISS Expeditions 1-16; 4) Countermeasure; and 5) Biomedical Data;

  5. Development and validation of instrument for ergonomic evaluation of tablet arm chairs

    PubMed Central

    Tirloni, Adriana Seára; dos Reis, Diogo Cunha; Bornia, Antonio Cezar; de Andrade, Dalton Francisco; Borgatto, Adriano Ferreti; Moro, Antônio Renato Pereira

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop and validate an evaluation instrument for tablet arm chairs based on ergonomic requirements, focused on user perceptions and using Item Response Theory (IRT). This exploratory study involved 1,633 participants (university students and professors) in four steps: a pilot study (n=26), semantic validation (n=430), content validation (n=11) and construct validation (n=1,166). Samejima's graded response model was applied to validate the instrument. The results showed that all the steps (theoretical and practical) of the instrument's development and validation processes were successful and that the group of remaining items (n=45) had a high consistency (0.95). This instrument can be used in the furniture industry by engineers and product designers and in the purchasing process of tablet arm chairs for schools, universities and auditoriums. PMID:28337099

  6. Qualitative Assessment of Academic Radiation Oncology Department Chairs' Insights on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Progress, Challenges, and Future Aspirations.

    PubMed

    Jones, Rochelle D; Chapman, Christina H; Holliday, Emma B; Lalani, Nafisha; Wilson, Emily; Bonner, James A; Movsas, Benjamin; Kalnicki, Shalom; Formenti, Silvia C; Thomas, Charles R; Hahn, Stephen M; Liu, Fei-Fei; Jagsi, Reshma

    2018-05-01

    A lack of diversity has been observed in radiation oncology (RO), with women and certain racial/ethnic groups underrepresented as trainees, faculty, and practicing physicians. We sought to gain a nuanced understanding of how to best promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) based on the insights of RO department chairs, with particular attention given to the experiences of the few women and underrepresented minorities (URMs) in these influential positions. From March to June 2016, we conducted telephone interviews with 24 RO department chairs (of 27 invited). Purposive sampling was used to invite all chairs who were women (n = 13) or URMs (n = 3) and 11 male chairs who were not URMs. Multiple analysts coded the verbatim transcripts. Five themes were identified: (1) commitment to DEI promotes quality health care and innovation; (2) gaps remain despite some progress with promoting diversity in RO; (3) women and URM faculty continue to experience challenges in various career domains; (4) solutions to DEI issues would be facilitated by acknowledging realities of gender and race; and (5) expansion of the career pipeline is needed. The chairs' insights had policy-relevant implications. Bias training should broach tokenism, blindness, and intersectionality. Efforts to recruit and support diverse talent should be deliberate and proactive. Bridge programs could engage students before their application to medical school. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Reminiscing about Jan Evangelista Purkinje: a pioneer of modern experimental physiology.

    PubMed

    Cavero, Icilio; Guillon, Jean-Michel; Holzgrefe, Henry H

    2017-12-01

    This article reminisces about the life and key scientific achievements of Jan Evangelista Purkinje (1787-1869), a versatile 19th century Czech pioneer of modern experimental physiology. In 1804, after completing senior high school, Purkinje joined the Piarist monk order, but, after a 3-yr novitiate, he gave up the religious calling "to deal more freely with science." In 1818, he earned a Medical Doctor degree from Prague University by defending a dissertation on intraocular phenomena observed in oneself. In 1823, Purkinje became a Physiology and Pathology professor at the Prussian Medical University in Breslau, where he innovated the traditional teaching methods of physiology. Purkinje's contributions to physiology were manifold: accurate descriptions of various visual phenomena (e.g., Purkinje-Sanson images, Purkinje phenomenon), discovery of the terminal network of the cardiac conduction system (Purkinje fibers), identification of cerebellar neuronal bodies (Purkinje cells), formulation of the vertigo law (Purkinje's law), discovery of criteria to classify human fingerprints, etc. In 1850, Purkinje accepted and held until his death the Physiology chair at Prague Medical Faculty. During this period, he succeeded in introducing the Czech idiom (in addition to long-established German and Latin) as a Medical Faculty teaching language. Additionally, as a zealous Czech patriot, he actively contributed to the naissance and consolidation of a national Czech identity conscience. Purkinje was a trend-setting scientist who, throughout his career, worked to pave the way for the renovation of physiology from a speculative discipline, ancilla of anatomy, into a factual, autonomous science committed to the discovery of mechanisms governing in-life functions. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

  8. 30. LAUNCH CONTROL CAPSULE. ACOUSTICAL ENCLOSURE. OPERATORS' CHAIR AND COMMUNICATIONS ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    30. LAUNCH CONTROL CAPSULE. ACOUSTICAL ENCLOSURE. OPERATORS' CHAIR AND COMMUNICATIONS CONSOLE IN FOREGROUND. ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT RACK AT LEFT; LAUNCH CONTROL CONSOLE WITH CAPTAIN JAMES L. KING, JR. IN CENTER. LIEUTENANT KEVIN R. MCCLUNEY IN BACKGROUND. VIEW TO SOUTHEAST. - Minuteman III ICBM Launch Control Facility November-1, 1.5 miles North of New Raymer & State Highway 14, New Raymer, Weld County, CO

  9. Moving chairs in Starbucks: Observational studies find rice-wheat cultural differences in daily life in China.

    PubMed

    Talhelm, Thomas; Zhang, Xuemin; Oishi, Shigehiro

    2018-04-01

    Traditional paddy rice farmers had to share labor and coordinate irrigation in a way that most wheat farmers did not. We observed people in everyday life to test whether these agricultural legacies gave rice-farming southern China a more interdependent culture and wheat-farming northern China a more independent culture. In Study 1, we counted 8964 people sitting in cafes in six cities and found that people in northern China were more likely to be sitting alone. In Study 2, we moved chairs together in Starbucks across the country so that they were partially blocking the aisle ( n = 678). People in northern China were more likely to move the chair out of the way, which is consistent with findings that people in individualistic cultures are more likely to try to control the environment. People in southern China were more likely to adjust the self to the environment by squeezing through the chairs. Even in China's most modern cities, rice-wheat differences live on in everyday life.

  10. Adaptation to shift work: physiologically based modeling of the effects of lighting and shifts' start time.

    PubMed

    Postnova, Svetlana; Robinson, Peter A; Postnov, Dmitry D

    2013-01-01

    Shift work has become an integral part of our life with almost 20% of the population being involved in different shift schedules in developed countries. However, the atypical work times, especially the night shifts, are associated with reduced quality and quantity of sleep that leads to increase of sleepiness often culminating in accidents. It has been demonstrated that shift workers' sleepiness can be improved by a proper scheduling of light exposure and optimizing shifts timing. Here, an integrated physiologically-based model of sleep-wake cycles is used to predict adaptation to shift work in different light conditions and for different shift start times for a schedule of four consecutive days of work. The integrated model combines a model of the ascending arousal system in the brain that controls the sleep-wake switch and a human circadian pacemaker model. To validate the application of the integrated model and demonstrate its utility, its dynamics are adjusted to achieve a fit to published experimental results showing adaptation of night shift workers (n = 8) in conditions of either bright or regular lighting. Further, the model is used to predict the shift workers' adaptation to the same shift schedule, but for conditions not considered in the experiment. The model demonstrates that the intensity of shift light can be reduced fourfold from that used in the experiment and still produce good adaptation to night work. The model predicts that sleepiness of the workers during night shifts on a protocol with either bright or regular lighting can be significantly improved by starting the shift earlier in the night, e.g.; at 21:00 instead of 00:00. Finally, the study predicts that people of the same chronotype, i.e. with identical sleep times in normal conditions, can have drastically different responses to shift work depending on their intrinsic circadian and homeostatic parameters.

  11. Adaptation to Shift Work: Physiologically Based Modeling of the Effects of Lighting and Shifts’ Start Time

    PubMed Central

    Postnova, Svetlana; Robinson, Peter A.; Postnov, Dmitry D.

    2013-01-01

    Shift work has become an integral part of our life with almost 20% of the population being involved in different shift schedules in developed countries. However, the atypical work times, especially the night shifts, are associated with reduced quality and quantity of sleep that leads to increase of sleepiness often culminating in accidents. It has been demonstrated that shift workers’ sleepiness can be improved by a proper scheduling of light exposure and optimizing shifts timing. Here, an integrated physiologically-based model of sleep-wake cycles is used to predict adaptation to shift work in different light conditions and for different shift start times for a schedule of four consecutive days of work. The integrated model combines a model of the ascending arousal system in the brain that controls the sleep-wake switch and a human circadian pacemaker model. To validate the application of the integrated model and demonstrate its utility, its dynamics are adjusted to achieve a fit to published experimental results showing adaptation of night shift workers (n = 8) in conditions of either bright or regular lighting. Further, the model is used to predict the shift workers’ adaptation to the same shift schedule, but for conditions not considered in the experiment. The model demonstrates that the intensity of shift light can be reduced fourfold from that used in the experiment and still produce good adaptation to night work. The model predicts that sleepiness of the workers during night shifts on a protocol with either bright or regular lighting can be significantly improved by starting the shift earlier in the night, e.g.; at 21∶00 instead of 00∶00. Finally, the study predicts that people of the same chronotype, i.e. with identical sleep times in normal conditions, can have drastically different responses to shift work depending on their intrinsic circadian and homeostatic parameters. PMID:23308206

  12. DOE Chair of Excellence in Environmental Disciplines-Final Technical Report

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

    Kurunganty, Sastry; Loran, Roberto; Roque-Malherbe, Rolando

    The report Massie Chair of Excellence Program at Universidad del Turabo, contract DE-FG02-95EW12610, during the period of 9/29/1995 to 9/29/2011. The initial program aims included development of academic programs in the Environmental Sciences and Engineering, and Research and Development focused initially on environmentally friendly processes and later revised also include: renewable energy and international cooperation. From 1995 -2005, the Program at UT lead the establishment of the new undergraduate program in electrical engineering at the School of Engineering (SoE), worked on requirements to achieve ABET accreditation of the SoE B.S. Mechanical Engineering and B.S. Electrical Engineering programs, mentored junior faculty,more » taught undergraduate courses in electrical engineering, and revised the electrical engineering curriculum. Engineering undergraduate laboratories were designed and developed. The following research sub-project was developed: Research and development of new perovskite-alumina hydrogen permeable asymmetrical nanostructured membranes for hydrogen purification, and extremely high specific surface area silica materials for hydrogen storage in the form of ammonia, Dr. Rolando Roque-Malherbe Subproject PI, Dr. Santander Nieto and Mr. Will Gómez Research Assistants. In 2006, the Massie Chair of Excellence Program was transferred to the National Nuclear Security Agency, NNSA and DNN. DoE required a revised proposal aligned with the priorities of the Administration. The revised approved program aims included: (1) Research (2) Student Development: promote the development of minority undergraduate and graduate students through research teams, internships, conferences, new courses; and, (3) Support: (a) Research administration and (b) Dissemination through international conferences, the UT Distinguished Lecturer Series in STEM fields and at the annual Universidad del Turabo (UT) Researchers Conference. Research included: Sub-Project 1: Synthesis

  13. Electrophysiological assessment of piano players' back extensor muscles on a regular piano bench and chair with back rest.

    PubMed

    Honarmand, Kavan; Minaskanian, Rafael; Maboudi, Seyed Ebrahim; Oskouei, Ali E

    2018-01-01

    [Purpose] Sitting position is the dominant position for a professional pianist. There are many static and dynamic forces which affect musculoskeletal system during sitting. In prolonged sitting, these forces are harmful. The aim of this study was to compare pianists' back extensor muscles activity during playing piano while sitting on a regular piano bench and a chair with back rest. [Subjects and Methods] Ten professional piano players (mean age 25.4 ± 5.28, 60% male, 40% female) performed similar tasks for 5 hours in two sessions: one session sitting on a regular piano bench and the other sitting on a chair with back rest. In each session, muscular activity was assessed in 3 ways: 1) recording surface electromyography of the back-extensor muscles at the beginning and end of each session, 2) isometric back extension test, and 3) musculoskeletal discomfort questionnaire. [Results] There were significantly lesser muscular activity, more ability to perform isometric back extension and better personal comfort while sitting on a chair with back rest. [Conclusion] Decreased muscular activity and perhaps fatigue during prolonged piano playing on a chair with back rest may reduce acquired musculoskeletal disorders amongst professional pianists.

  14. Electrophysiological assessment of piano players’ back extensor muscles on a regular piano bench and chair with back rest

    PubMed Central

    Honarmand, Kavan; Minaskanian, Rafael; Maboudi, Seyed Ebrahim; Oskouei, Ali E.

    2018-01-01

    [Purpose] Sitting position is the dominant position for a professional pianist. There are many static and dynamic forces which affect musculoskeletal system during sitting. In prolonged sitting, these forces are harmful. The aim of this study was to compare pianists’ back extensor muscles activity during playing piano while sitting on a regular piano bench and a chair with back rest. [Subjects and Methods] Ten professional piano players (mean age 25.4 ± 5.28, 60% male, 40% female) performed similar tasks for 5 hours in two sessions: one session sitting on a regular piano bench and the other sitting on a chair with back rest. In each session, muscular activity was assessed in 3 ways: 1) recording surface electromyography of the back-extensor muscles at the beginning and end of each session, 2) isometric back extension test, and 3) musculoskeletal discomfort questionnaire. [Results] There were significantly lesser muscular activity, more ability to perform isometric back extension and better personal comfort while sitting on a chair with back rest. [Conclusion] Decreased muscular activity and perhaps fatigue during prolonged piano playing on a chair with back rest may reduce acquired musculoskeletal disorders amongst professional pianists. PMID:29410569

  15. Personalized physiological medicine.

    PubMed

    Ince, Can

    2017-12-28

    This paper introduces the concept of personalized physiological medicine that is specifically directed at the needs of the critically ill patient. This differs from the conventional view of personalized medicine, characterized by biomarkers and gene profiling, instead focusing on time-variant changes in the pathophysiology and regulation of various organ systems and their cellular and subcellular constituents. I propose that personalized physiological medicine is composed of four pillars relevant to the critically ill patient. Pillar 1 is defined by the frailty and fitness of the patient and their physiological reserve to cope with the stress of critical illness and therapy. Pillar 2 involves monitoring of the key physiological variables of the different organ systems and their response to disease and therapy. Pillar 3 concerns the evaluation of the success of resuscitation by assessment of the hemodynamic coherence between the systemic and microcirculation and parenchyma of the organ systems. Finally, pillar 4 is defined by the integration of the physiological and clinical data into a time-learning adaptive model of the patient to provide feedback about the function of organ systems and to guide and assess the response to disease and therapy. I discuss each pillar and describe the challenges to research and development that will allow the realization of personalized physiological medicine to be practiced at the bedside for critically ill patients.

  16. Multidisciplinary approach to converting power chair into motorized prone cart.

    PubMed

    Brose, Steven W; Wali, Eisha

    2014-01-01

    Pressure ulcers remain a major source of morbidity and mortality in veterans with neurologic impairment. Management of pressure ulcers typically involves pressure relief over skin regions containing wounds, but this can lead to loss of mobility and independence when the wounds are located in regions that receive pressure from sitting. An innovative, low-cost, multidisciplinary effort was undertaken to maximize quality of life in a veteran with a thoracic-4 level complete spinal cord injury and a stage 4 ischial wound. The person's power wheelchair was converted into a motorized prone cart, allowing navigation of the Department of Veterans Affairs spinal cord injury hospital ward and improved socialization while relieving pressure on the wound. Physical and occupational therapy assisted with the reconfiguration of the power chair and verified safe transfers into the chair and driving of the device. Psychology verified positive psychosocial benefit, while nursing and physician services verified an absence of unwanted pain or skin injury resulting from use of the device. Further investigation of ways to apply this technique is warranted to improve the quality of life of persons with pressure ulcers.

  17. Jacqueline Baxter Talks to Gill Howland, Newly Appointed Chair of BELMAS

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baxter, Jacqueline

    2017-01-01

    Gill is currently Chair of the British Educational Leadership, Management and Administration Society. Her personal experiences are central to her belief that education is the key to unlocking potential, both for individuals and for society as a whole. Throughout her career she has championed the right to good quality, inspirational education for…

  18. Perceptions of Value-Congruence with One's Department Chair: Does Match Matter?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Virick, Meghna; Strage, Amy

    2016-01-01

    Although studies have examined numerous factors that predict junior faculty success, previous research has paid little attention to the role played by department chairs. Drawing on theory from person-environment fit theory and value congruence, we sought to examine the implication of a match versus mismatch between faculty members and their chairs…

  19. Can multi-generational exposure to ocean warming and acidification lead to the adaptation of life history and physiology in a marine metazoan?

    PubMed

    Gibbin, Emma M; Chakravarti, Leela J; Jarrold, Michael D; Christen, Felix; Turpin, Vincent; Massamba N'Siala, Gloria; Blier, Pierre U; Calosi, Piero

    2017-02-15

    Ocean warming and acidification are concomitant global drivers that are currently threatening the survival of marine organisms. How species will respond to these changes depends on their capacity for plastic and adaptive responses. Little is known about the mechanisms that govern plasticity and adaptability or how global changes will influence these relationships across multiple generations. Here, we exposed the emerging model marine polychaete Ophryotrocha labronica to conditions simulating ocean warming and acidification, in isolation and in combination over five generations to identify: (i) how multiple versus single global change drivers alter both juvenile and adult life-history traits; (ii) the mechanistic link between adult physiological and fitness-related life-history traits; and (iii) whether the phenotypic changes observed over multiple generations are of plastic and/or adaptive origin. Two juvenile (developmental rate; survival to sexual maturity) and two adult (average reproductive body size; fecundity) life-history traits were measured in each generation, in addition to three physiological (cellular reactive oxygen species content, mitochondrial density, mitochondrial capacity) traits. We found that multi-generational exposure to warming alone caused an increase in juvenile developmental rate, reactive oxygen species production and mitochondrial density, decreases in average reproductive body size and fecundity, and fluctuations in mitochondrial capacity, relative to control conditions. Exposure to ocean acidification alone had only minor effects on juvenile developmental rate. Remarkably, when both drivers of global change were present, only mitochondrial capacity was significantly affected, suggesting that ocean warming and acidification act as opposing vectors of stress across multiple generations. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  20. National Survey of US academic anesthesiology chairs on clinician wellness.

    PubMed

    Vinson, Amy E; Zurakowski, David; Randel, Gail I; Schlecht, Kathy D

    2016-11-01

    The prevalence of anesthesiology department wellness programs is unknown. A database of wellness programs is needed as a resource for departments attempting to respond to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Anesthesiology Milestones Project. The purpose of this study was to survey academic anesthesiology chairs on wellness issues, characterize initiatives, and establish wellness contacts for a Wellness Initiative Database (WID). An Internet-based survey instrument was distributed to academic anesthesiology department chairs in the United States. On-line. None. None. Analysis for continuous variables used standard means, modes, and averages for individual responses; 95% confidence intervals for proportions were calculated by Wilson's method. Seventy-five (56.4%) responses (of a potential 133 programs) were obtained. Forty-one (of 71 responders; 57.8%) expressed interest in participating in a WID, and 33 (44%) provided contact information. Most (74.7%) had recently referred staff for counseling or wellness resources, yet many (79.5% and 67.1%, respectively) had never surveyed their department's interest in wellness resources. Thirty-four percent had a wellness resources repository. Of 22 wellness topics, 8 garnered >60% strong interest from respondents: Addiction Counseling, Sleep Hygiene, Peer Support Program, Stress Management, Conflict Management, Burnout Counseling, Time Management, and Dealing with Adverse Events Training. There was a statistically significant difference in interest between those willing to participate or not in the WID across most topics but no significant difference based on need for recent staff referral. The majority of chairs needed to recently refer a department member to wellness resources or counseling. Most were interested in participating in a WID, whereas a minority had gauged staff interest in wellness topics or had a wellness resource repository. Highest interest was in topics most related to function as an

  1. The effect of overbooking on idle dental chair capacity in the Pretoria region of the Gauteng Oral Health Services.

    PubMed

    Holtshousen, W S J; Coetzee, E

    2012-09-01

    An analysis of annual reports revealed that on average 20% of patient appointments with oral hygienists in the Department of Health in the Pretoria region were not utilised due to patient noncompliance (i.e. broken appointments). Many solutions have been considered to address the high rate of noncompliance and the resulting idle chair capacity. One solution selected to overcome some of the negative consequences of broken appointments was deliberate overbooking. The aim of our study was to determine the effect of overbooking on idle dental chair capacity by measuring the utilisation rate over a three month period (July to September) after 25% overbooking was introduced in the Pretoria region. A statistical analysis was conducted on our results to determine an overbooking rate that would ensure full utilisation of the available dental chair capacity. The available time units over the three month study period amounted to 1365, allocated to 1427 patients resulting in an overal overbooking rate of 4.54%. The overall utilisation rate was found to be 79.2%. The calculated regression line estimated that there would be full utilisation of dental chair capacity at an overbooking rate of 26.7%. Overbooking at the levels applied in this study had a minimal overall effect on idle dental chair capacity. Our results confirm the need for careful planning and management in addressing noncompliance. In a manner similar to the clinical situation, organisational development requires a correct diagnosis in order that an appropriate and effective intervention may be designed.

  2. Can a smart chair improve the sitting behavior of office workers?

    PubMed

    Roossien, C C; Stegenga, J; Hodselmans, A P; Spook, S M; Koolhaas, W; Brouwer, S; Verkerke, G J; Reneman, M F

    2017-11-01

    Prolonged sitting can cause health problems and musculoskeletal discomfort. There is a need for objective and non-obstructive means of measuring sitting behavior. A 'smart' office chair can monitor sitting behavior and provide tactile feedback, aiming to improve sitting behavior. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the feedback signal on sitting behavior and musculoskeletal discomfort. In a 12-week prospective cohort study (ABCB design) among office workers (n = 45) was measured sitting duration and posture, feedback signals and musculoskeletal discomfort. Between the study phases, small changes were observed in mean sitting duration, posture and discomfort. After turning off the feedback signal, a slight increase in sitting duration was observed (10 min, p = 0.04), a slight decrease in optimally supported posture (2.8%, p < 0.01), and musculoskeletal discomfort (0.8, p < 0.01) was observed. We conclude that the 'smart' chair is able to monitor the sitting behavior, the feedback signal, however, led to small or insignificant changes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Peptidase inhibitors in tick physiology.

    PubMed

    Parizi, L F; Ali, A; Tirloni, L; Oldiges, D P; Sabadin, G A; Coutinho, M L; Seixas, A; Logullo, C; Termignoni, C; DA Silva Vaz, I

    2018-06-01

    Peptidase inhibitors regulate a wide range of physiological processes involved in the interaction between hematophagous parasites and their hosts, including tissue remodeling, the immune response and blood coagulation. In tick physiology, peptidase inhibitors have a crucial role in adaptation to improve parasitism mechanisms, facilitating blood feeding by interfering with defense-related host peptidases. Recently, a larger number of studies on this topic led to the description of several new tick inhibitors displaying interesting novel features, for example a role in pathogen transmission to the host. A comprehensive review discussing these emerging concepts can therefore shed light on peptidase inhibitor functions, their relevance to tick physiology and their potential applications. Here, we summarize and examine the general characteristics, functional diversity and action of tick peptidase inhibitors with known physiological roles in the tick-host-pathogen interaction. © 2017 The Royal Entomological Society.

  4. Chair interconversion and reactivity of mannuronic acid esters.

    PubMed

    Rönnols, Jerk; Walvoort, Marthe T C; van der Marel, Gijsbert A; Codée, Jeroen D C; Widmalm, Göran

    2013-12-14

    Mannopyranosyluronic acids display a very unusual conformation behavior in that they often prefer to adopt a (1)C4 chair conformation. They are endowed with a strikingly high reactivity when used in a glycosylation reaction as a glycosyl donor. To investigate the unusual conformational behavior a series of mannuronic acid ester derivatives, comprising anomeric triflate species and O-methyl glycosides, was examined by dynamic NMR experiments, through lineshape analysis of (1)H and (19)F NMR spectra at various temperatures from -80 °C to 0 °C. Exchange rates between (4)C1 and (1)C4 chair conformations were found to depend on the electronic properties and the size of the C2 substituent (F, N3 or OBn) and the aglycon, with higher exchange rates for the glycosyl triflates and smaller C2 substituents. Low temperature (19)F exchange spectroscopy experiments showed that the covalently bound anomeric triflates did not exchange with free triflate species present in the reaction mixture. To relate the conformational behavior of the intermediate triflates to their reactivity in a glycosylation reaction, their relative reactivity was determined via competition reactions monitored by (1)H NMR spectroscopy at low temperature. The 2-O-benzyl ether compound was found to be most reactive whereas the 2-fluoro compound - the most flexible of the studied compounds - was least reactive. Whereas the ring-flip of the mannuronic acids is important for the enhanced reactivity of the donors, the rate of the ring-flip has little influence on the relative reactivity.

  5. Genetics and the physiological ecology of conifers

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

    Mitton, J.B.

    1995-07-01

    Natural selection acts on the diversity of genotypes, adapting populations to their specific environments and driving evolution in response to changes in climate. Genetically based differences in physiology and demography adapt species to alternate environments and produce, along with historical accidents, the present distribution of species. The sorting of conifer species by elevation is so marked that conifers help to define plant communities arranged in elevational bands in the Rocky Mountains. For these reasons, a genetic perspective is necessary to appreciate the evolution of ecophysiological patterns in the coniferous forests of the Rocky Mountains. The fascinating natural history and themore » economic importance of western conifers have stimulated numerous studies of their ecology, ecological genetics, and geographic variation. These studies yield some generalizations, and present some puzzling contradictions. This chapter focuses on the genetic variability associated with the physiological differences among genotypes in Rocky Mountain conifers. Variation among genotypes in survival, growth, and resistance to herbivores is used to illustrate genetically based differences in physiology, and to suggest the mechanistic studies needed to understand the relationships between genetic and physiological variation.« less

  6. Eco-physiological basis of shade adaptation of Camellia nitidissima, a rare and endangered forest understory plant of Southeast Asia.

    PubMed

    Chai, Shengfeng; Tang, Jianmin; Mallik, Azim; Shi, Yancai; Zou, Rong; Li, Jitao; Wei, Xiao

    2018-02-07

    Camellia nitidissima, a rare and endangered shrub is narrowly distributed in South China and North Vietnam occurring in forest understory. Their light tolerance mechanism is unclear. We measured photosynthesis and related parameters on 2-years-old cuttings growing at 10, 30, 50 and 100% sunlight. Our research question was: At what light level are C. nitidissima cuttings responding most favorably, and what is the eco-physiological basis for their response to light? We hypothesized that as a forest understory growth of C. nitidissima would respond most favorably at low to intermediate light by optimizing photosynthetic activity, and high light will affect photosynthetic functions due to photoinhibition, damage of photosynthetic apparatus and concomitant enzyme activity. With increasing light, the maximum net photosynthetic rate (P Nmax ) and apparent quantum yield (AQY) decreased, while the light compensation point increased, and light saturation point first increased followed by a decrease. The P Nmax and AQY under 50 and 100% sunlight were significantly lower than that under 10 and 30% sunlight. The chlorophyll fluorescence parameters F m , F v , F v /F m all decreased under high light (> 50%). The contents of chlorophyll a (Chla), chlorophyll b (Chlb), and carotenoid (Car) decreased with increasing light. Relative conductivity, malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline contents in leaves were significantly increased in high light but we found no significant difference in these indices at 10 and 30% sunlight. We conclude that C. nitidissima is a shade adapted plant with poor adaptability to high light (> 50%). The novelty of this research is the demonstration of the eco-physiological basis of its light tolerance (conversely, shade adaptation) mechanisms indicated by decreased photosynthetic activity, chlorophyll fluorescence, Chla, Chlb and Car contents and concomitant increase in relative conductivity, MDA and proline contents at high light causing photoinhibition. For

  7. The impact of office chair features on lumbar lordosis, intervertebral joint and sacral tilt angles: a radiographic assessment.

    PubMed

    De Carvalho, Diana; Grondin, Diane; Callaghan, Jack

    2017-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine which office chair feature is better at improving spine posture in sitting. Participants (n = 28) were radiographed in standing, maximum flexion and seated in four chair conditions: control, lumbar support, seat pan tilt and backrest with scapular relief. Measures of lumbar lordosis, intervertebral joint angles and sacral tilt were compared between conditions and sex. Sitting consisted of approximately 70% of maximum range of spine flexion. No differences in lumbar flexion were found between the chair features or control. Significantly more anterior pelvic rotation was found with the lumbar support (p = 0.0028) and seat pan tilt (p < 0.0001). Males had significantly more anterior pelvic rotation and extended intervertebral joint angles through L1-L3 in all conditions (p < 0.0001). No one feature was statistically superior with respect to minimising spine flexion, however, seat pan tilt resulted in significantly improved pelvic posture. Practitioner Summary: Seat pan tilt, and to some extent lumbar supports, appear to improve seated postures. However, sitting, regardless of chair features used, still involves near end range flexion of the spine. This will increase stresses to the spine and could be a potential injury generator during prolonged seated exposures.

  8. Implementation of Rocking Chair Therapy for Veterans in Residential Substance Use Disorder Treatment [Formula: see text].

    PubMed

    Cross, Rene' L; White, Justin; Engelsher, Jaclyn; O'Connor, Stephen S

    Substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health diagnosis negatively affect Veteran homelessness. Assess the acceptance and feasibility of rocking chair therapy as a self-implemented intervention for mood and substance cravings. For homeless Veterans in SUD treatment, how does adding vestibular stimulation by use of a rocking chair compared with treatment as usual affect levels of anxiety and substance cravings? Two significant findings were observed. First, a greater number of minutes spent rocking was associated with significantly greater scores on the Expectancy scale of the Alcohol Craving Questionnaire (ACQ; p = .05), suggesting participants experiencing higher urges and desires to drink rocked to self-soothe. Second, a significant association was observed between a greater number of minutes spent rocking and lower scores on the ACQ Purposefulness subscale ( p = .03), indicating greater time rocking was associated with fewer urges and desires that are connected with the intent and plan to drink. Vestibular stimulation by rocking in a rocking chair may increase the ability to self-regulate mood and substance cravings, thereby potentially reducing risk of relapse and recurrent chronic homelessness.

  9. Moving chairs in Starbucks: Observational studies find rice-wheat cultural differences in daily life in China

    PubMed Central

    Oishi, Shigehiro

    2018-01-01

    Traditional paddy rice farmers had to share labor and coordinate irrigation in a way that most wheat farmers did not. We observed people in everyday life to test whether these agricultural legacies gave rice-farming southern China a more interdependent culture and wheat-farming northern China a more independent culture. In Study 1, we counted 8964 people sitting in cafes in six cities and found that people in northern China were more likely to be sitting alone. In Study 2, we moved chairs together in Starbucks across the country so that they were partially blocking the aisle (n = 678). People in northern China were more likely to move the chair out of the way, which is consistent with findings that people in individualistic cultures are more likely to try to control the environment. People in southern China were more likely to adjust the self to the environment by squeezing through the chairs. Even in China’s most modern cities, rice-wheat differences live on in everyday life. PMID:29707634

  10. Contrasting Physiological and Proteomic Adaptations to Iron and/or Copper Limitation in Two Strains of the Same Open Ocean Diatom Thalassiosira oceanica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schuback, N.; Hippmann, A.; Maldonado, M. T.; Allen, A. E.; McCrow, J.; Foster, L. J.; Green, B. R.; Alami, M.

    2016-02-01

    Iron plays a significant role in controlling marine primary productivity. Despite that extremely low dissolved iron (Fe) concentrations are found in Fe-limited regions, some phytoplankton are able to survive and thrive. Two strains of the model oceanic diatom Thalassiosira oceanica, TO 1003 and TO 1005, have both been used in previous studies to characterize adaptations to iron limitation. These studies have shown that T. oceanica has lowered its Fe requirements and increased its Fe acquisition efficiency compared to coastal counterparts. Both strategies may impose a higher cellular copper (Cu) demand. However, the underlying biochemical adaptations in these oceanic diatoms remain unknown. Recently, the genome, as well as the first proteomic and transcriptomic analyses of T. oceanica 1005 grown under different Fe levels, were published. To further our understanding of the interplay between Fe- and Cu- physiology in open ocean diatoms, we examined an array of physiological responses to varying degrees of Fe-, Cu- and Fe/Cu co-limitation in both strains. We also determined the differential expression of proteins using stable isotope labeling and LC-MS/MS proteomic analysis. The two strains, TO 1003 and TO 1005, need markedly different metal concentrations in the media. TO1003 requires 30% less Cu to sustain its optimal growth and less than 1/10th of the minimum Cu that is needed by TO 1005 to survive. In contrast, TO 1005 is able to grow with less Fe available in the media. The physiological and proteomic responses of these two strains when acclimated to low Fe and/or Cu concentrations will be presented. The evolutionary implications will be discussed.

  11. Ivan Djaja (Jean Giaja)1 and the Belgrade School of Physiology

    PubMed Central

    Andjus, Pavle R.; Stojilkovic, Stanko S.; Cvijic, Gordana

    2016-01-01

    Summary The founder of physiology studies in the Balkans and the pioneer of research on hypothermia, Ivan Djaja (Jean Giaja) was born 1884 in L’Havre. Giaja gained his PhD at the Sorbonne in 1909. In 1910 he established the first Chair of Physiology in the Balkans and organized the first Serbian Institute for Physiology at the School of Philosophy of the University of Belgrade. He led this Institute for more than 40 subsequent years. His most notable papers were in the field of thermoregulation and bioenergetics. Djaja became member of the Serbian and Croatian academies of science and doctor honoris causa of Sorbonne. In 1952 for the seminal work on the behaviour of deep cooled warm blooded animals he becane associate member of the National Medical Academy in Paris. In 1955 the French Academy of Sciences elected him as associate member in place of deceased Sir Alexander Fleming. Djaja died in 1957 during a congress held in his honour. He left more than 200 scientific and other papers and the golden DaVincian credo “Nulla dies sine experimento”. His legacy was continued by several generations of researchers, the most prominent among them being Stefan Gelineo, Radoslav Andjus and Vojislav Petrović. PMID:21777022

  12. Career development resource: educational leadership in a department of surgery: vice chairs for education.

    PubMed

    Sanfey, Hilary; Boehler, Margaret; DaRosa, Debra; Dunnington, Gary L

    2012-07-01

    The growing appreciation of the need to adopt an evidence-based approach to teaching and assessment has led to a demand for faculty who are well versed in best practices in education. Surgeons with interest and expertise in instruction, curriculum development, educational research, and evaluation can have an important impact on the educational mission of a department of surgery. The increased fervor for accountability in education together with the challenges imposed by accreditation agencies and hospitals has made educational leadership responsibilities more time consuming and complex. In response to this, an increasing number of department chairs created Vice Chair for Education positions to support clerkship and program directors and ensure the department's education mission statement is fulfilled. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. A battery-less and wireless wearable sensor system for identifying bed and chair exits in a pilot trial in hospitalized older people.

    PubMed

    Shinmoto Torres, Roberto L; Visvanathan, Renuka; Abbott, Derek; Hill, Keith D; Ranasinghe, Damith C

    2017-01-01

    Falls in hospitals are common, therefore strategies to minimize the impact of these events in older patients and needs to be examined. In this pilot study, we investigate a movement monitoring sensor system for identifying bed and chair exits using a wireless wearable sensor worn by hospitalized older patients. We developed a movement monitoring sensor system that recognizes bed and chair exits. The system consists of a machine learning based activity classifier and a bed and chair exit recognition process based on an activity score function. Twenty-six patients, aged 71 to 93 years old, hospitalized in the Geriatric Evaluation and Management Unit participated in the supervised trials. They wore over their attire a battery-less, lightweight and wireless sensor and performed scripted activities such as getting off the bed and chair. We investigated the system performance in recognizing bed and chair exits in hospital rooms where RFID antennas and readers were in place. The system's acceptability was measured using two surveys with 0-10 likert scales. The first survey measured the change in user perception of the system before and after a trial; the second survey, conducted only at the end of each trial, measured user acceptance of the system based on a multifactor sensor acceptance model. The performance of the system indicated an overall recall of 81.4%, precision of 66.8% and F-score of 72.4% for joint bed and chair exit recognition. Patients demonstrated improved perception of the system after use with overall score change from 7.8 to 9.0 and high acceptance of the system with score ≥ 6.7 for all acceptance factors. The present pilot study suggests the use of wireless wearable sensors is feasible for detecting bed and chair exits in a hospital environment.

  14. A battery-less and wireless wearable sensor system for identifying bed and chair exits in a pilot trial in hospitalized older people

    PubMed Central

    Visvanathan, Renuka; Abbott, Derek; Hill, Keith D.; Ranasinghe, Damith C.

    2017-01-01

    Falls in hospitals are common, therefore strategies to minimize the impact of these events in older patients and needs to be examined. In this pilot study, we investigate a movement monitoring sensor system for identifying bed and chair exits using a wireless wearable sensor worn by hospitalized older patients. We developed a movement monitoring sensor system that recognizes bed and chair exits. The system consists of a machine learning based activity classifier and a bed and chair exit recognition process based on an activity score function. Twenty-six patients, aged 71 to 93 years old, hospitalized in the Geriatric Evaluation and Management Unit participated in the supervised trials. They wore over their attire a battery-less, lightweight and wireless sensor and performed scripted activities such as getting off the bed and chair. We investigated the system performance in recognizing bed and chair exits in hospital rooms where RFID antennas and readers were in place. The system’s acceptability was measured using two surveys with 0–10 likert scales. The first survey measured the change in user perception of the system before and after a trial; the second survey, conducted only at the end of each trial, measured user acceptance of the system based on a multifactor sensor acceptance model. The performance of the system indicated an overall recall of 81.4%, precision of 66.8% and F-score of 72.4% for joint bed and chair exit recognition. Patients demonstrated improved perception of the system after use with overall score change from 7.8 to 9.0 and high acceptance of the system with score ≥ 6.7 for all acceptance factors. The present pilot study suggests the use of wireless wearable sensors is feasible for detecting bed and chair exits in a hospital environment. PMID:29016696

  15. An in situ study of the habits of users that affect office chair design and testing.

    PubMed

    Benden, Mark E; Fink, Rainer; Congleton, Jerome

    2011-02-01

    The purpose of this study was to perform an in situ assessment of office seating habits that influence chair testing and design. Many chair testing parameters were derived decades ago when the average weight of people within the United States was dramatically lower and the office work tasks less computer based. For the study, 51 participants were randomly selected from Brazos Valley, Texas, businesses to participate in 8-hr assessments of office seating habits. Overall results were compared with current chair testing and design assumptions. Data were collected through written survey and through data logging of seat and back contact pressure and duration with the use of the X-SENSOR pressure mapping device and software. Additionally, I day per participant of caster roll distance was recorded with the use of a caster mounted digital encoder. Participants were grouped by body mass index (BMI) and weight (BMI <35 and weight < 102 kg or BMI >35 and weight >102 kg). It was determined that a significant difference did exist between the groups in mean seat time per shift (p < .001), back cycles per shift (p < .002), seat cycles per shift (p < .01), and caster distance rolled per shift (p < .001). Several key parameters and assumptions of current chair test methods and design specifications may no longer be valid for the upper quartile of weight range of the current U.S. population. The data collected in this study will enable engineers to determine whether revision of design standards for testing office seating for both normal weight and extremely obese workers is indicated.

  16. Human Physiological Responses to Acute and Chronic Cold Exposure

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stocks, Jodie M.; Taylor, Nigel A. S.; Tipton, Michael J.; Greenleaf, John E.

    2001-01-01

    When inadequately protected humans are exposed to acute cold, excessive body heat is lost to the environment and unless heat production is increased and heat loss attenuated, body temperature will decrease. The primary physiological responses to counter the reduction in body temperature include marked cutaneous vasoconstriction and increased metabolism. These responses, and the hazards associated with such exposure, are mediated by a number of factors which contribute to heat production and loss. These include the severity and duration of the cold stimulus; exercise intensity; the magnitude of the metabolic response; and individual characteristics such as body composition, age, and gender. Chronic exposure to a cold environment, both natural and artificial, results in physiological alterations leading to adaptation. Three quite different, but not necessarily exclusive, patterns of human cold adaptation have been reported: metabolic, hypothermic, and insulative. Cold adaptation has also been associated with an habituation response, in which there is a desensitization, or damping, of the normal response to a cold stress. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the human physiological and pathological responses to cold exposure. Particular attention is directed to the factors contributing to heat production and heat loss during acute cold stress, and the ability of humans to adapt to cold environments.

  17. The Canada Research Chairs Program: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grant, Karen R.; Drakich, Janice

    2010-01-01

    Drawing on 60 qualitative interviews with Canada research chairs (CRCs), we explore their careers in context. We develop a model to understand the intersection of individual and institutional factors that shape the everyday experiences of the CRCs. The model shows the dialectical relationship between faculty identity, research, relations with…

  18. [The Chair of the medical chemistry department at the Faculty of Medicine and the Chair of chemistry at the School of Pharmacy of Strasbourg (1794-1871)].

    PubMed

    Pabst, Jean-Yves

    2011-01-01

    Strasbourg occupied during the 19th century a privileged place in chemistry, as well in education as in research, and that in particular in three institutions created after the dissolution of the old University during the French Revolution: the Faculty of Sciences, the School then Faculty of Medicine created in 1794, and the School of Pharmacy created in 1804. In 1871, Alsace was annexed by Germany. The chair of medical chemistry in the Faculty of Medicine was successively occupied by: Pierre François Nicolas (1743-1816) in 1794-1795, Frédéric Louis Ehrmann (1741-1801) from 1796 to 1798, Gabriel Masuyer (1761-1849) from 1798 to 1838, and Amédée Cailliot (1805-1884) from 1838 to 1871. The chair of chemistry in the School of Pharmacy was successively occupied by: Louis Hecht (1771-1857)from 1804 to 1835, Jean François Persoz (1805-1868) from 1835 to 1852, Adrien Loir (1816-1899) from 1852 to 1855, Charles Frédéric Gerhardt and Eugène Théodore Jacquemin (1828-1909) from 1856 to 1871.

  19. Roy's Adaptation Model-Guided Education and Promoting the Adaptation of Veterans With Lower Extremities Amputation.

    PubMed

    Azarmi, Somayeh; Farsi, Zahra

    2015-10-01

    Any defect in extremities of the body can affect different life aspects. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Roy's adaptation model-guided education on promoting the adaptation of veterans with lower extremities amputation. In a randomized clinical trial, 60 veterans with lower extremities amputation referring to Kowsar Orthotics and Prosthetics Center of veterans clinic in Tehran, Iran, were recruited with convenience method and were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups during 2013 - 2014. For data collection, Roy's adaptation model questionnaire was used. After completing the questionnaires in both groups, maladaptive behaviors were determined in the intervention group and an education program based on Roy's adaptation model was implemented. After two months, both groups completed the questionnaires again. Data was analyzed with SPSS software. Independent t-test showed statistically significant differences between the two groups in the post-test stage in terms of the total score of adaptation (P = 0.001) as well as physiologic (P = 0.0001) and role function modes (P = 0.004). The total score of adaptation (139.43 ± 5.45 to 127.54 ± 14.55, P = 0.006) as well as the scores of physiologic (60.26 ± 5.45 to 53.73 ± 7.79, P = 0.001) and role function (20.30 ± 2.42 to 18.13 ± 3.18, P = 0.01) modes in the intervention group significantly increased, whereas the scores of self-concept (42.10 ± 4.71 to 39.40 ± 5.67, P = 0.21) and interdependence (16.76 ± 2.22 to 16.30 ± 2.57, P = 0.44) modes in the two stages did not have a significant difference. Findings of this research indicated that the Roy's adaptation model-guided education promoted the adaptation level of physiologic and role function modes in veterans with lower extremities amputation. However, this intervention could not promote adaptation in self-concept and interdependence modes. More intervention is advised based on Roy's adaptation model for improving the

  20. Physiological and transcriptomic analyses reveal mechanistic insight into the adaption of marine Bacillus subtilis C01 to alumina nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Mu, Dashuai; Yu, Xiuxia; Xu, Zhenxing; Du, Zongjun; Chen, Guanjun

    2016-07-21

    An increasing number of studies have investigated the effects of nanoparticles (NPs) on microbial systems; however, few existing reports have focused on the defense mechanisms of bacteria against NPs. Whether secondary metabolism biosynthesis is a response to NP stress and contributes to the adaption of bacteria to NPs is unclear. Here, a significant induction in the surfactin production and biofilm formation were detected by adding Al2O3 NPs to the B. subtilis fermentation broth. Physiological analysis showed that Al2O3 NP stress could also affect the cell and colony morphogenesis and inhibit the motility and sporulation. Exogenously adding commercial surfactin restored the swarming motility. Additionally, a suite of toxicity assays analyzing membrane damage, cellular ROS generation, electron transport activity and membrane potential was used to determine the molecular mechanisms of toxicity of Al2O3 NPs. Furthermore, whole transcriptomic analysis was used to elucidate the mechanisms of B. subtilis adaption to Al2O3 NPs. These results revealed several mechanisms by which marine B. subtilis C01 adapt to Al2O3 NPs. Additionally, this study broadens the applications of nanomaterials and describes the important effects on secondary metabolism and multicellularity regulation by using Al2O3 NPs or other nano-products.

  1. Community-based adapted tango dancing for individuals with Parkinson's disease and older adults.

    PubMed

    Hackney, Madeleine E; Hackney, Madeleine; McKee, Kathleen

    2014-12-09

    Adapted tango dancing improves mobility and balance in older adults and additional populations with balance impairments. It is composed of very simple step elements. Adapted tango involves movement initiation and cessation, multi-directional perturbations, varied speeds and rhythms. Focus on foot placement, whole body coordination, and attention to partner, path of movement, and aesthetics likely underlie adapted tango's demonstrated efficacy for improving mobility and balance. In this paper, we describe the methodology to disseminate the adapted tango teaching methods to dance instructor trainees and to implement the adapted tango by the trainees in the community for older adults and individuals with Parkinson's Disease (PD). Efficacy in improving mobility (measured with the Timed Up and Go, Tandem stance, Berg Balance Scale, Gait Speed and 30 sec chair stand), safety and fidelity of the program is maximized through targeted instructor and volunteer training and a structured detailed syllabus outlining class practices and progression.

  2. On the salty side of life: molecular, physiological and anatomical adaptation and acclimation of trees to extreme habitats.

    PubMed

    Polle, Andrea; Chen, Shaoliang

    2015-09-01

    Saline and sodic soils that cannot be used for agriculture occur worldwide. Cultivating stress-tolerant trees to obtain biomass from salinized areas has been suggested. Various tree species of economic importance for fruit, fibre and timber production exhibit high salinity tolerance. Little is known about the mechanisms enabling tree crops to cope with high salinity for extended periods. Here, the molecular, physiological and anatomical adjustments underlying salt tolerance in glycophytic and halophytic model tree species, such as Populus euphratica in terrestrial habitats, and mangrove species along coastlines are reviewed. Key mechanisms that have been identified as mediating salt tolerance are discussed at scales from the genetic to the morphological level, including leaf succulence and structural adjustments of wood anatomy. The genetic and transcriptomic bases for physiological salt acclimation are salt sensing and signalling networks that activate target genes; the target genes keep reactive oxygen species under control, maintain the ion balance and restore water status. Evolutionary adaptation includes gene duplication in these pathways. Strategies for and limitations to tree improvement, particularly transgenic approaches for increasing salt tolerance by transforming trees with single and multiple candidate genes, are discussed. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. Inability to Perform the Repeated Chair Stand Task Predicts Fall-Related Injury in Older Primary Care Patients.

    PubMed

    Shea, Cristina A; Ward, Rachel E; Welch, Sarah A; Kiely, Dan K; Goldstein, Richard; Bean, Jonathan F

    2018-06-01

    The aim of the study was to examine whether the chair stand component of the Short Physical Performance Battery predicts fall-related injury among older adult primary care patients. A 2-yr longitudinal cohort study of 430 Boston-area primary care patients aged ≥65 yrs screened to be at risk for mobility decline was conducted. The three components of the Short Physical Performance Battery (balance time, gait speed, and chair stand time) were measured at baseline. Participants reported incidence of fall-related injuries quarterly for 2 yrs. Complementary log-log discrete time hazard models were constructed to examine the hazard of fall-related injury across Short Physical Performance Battery scores, adjusting for age, sex, race, Digit Symbol Substitution Test score, and fall history. Participants were 68% female and 83% white, with a mean (SD) age of 76.6 (7.0). A total of 137 (32%) reported a fall-related injury during the follow-up period. Overall, inability to perform the chair stand task was a significant predictor of fall-related injury (hazard ratio = 2.11, 95% confidence interval = 1.23-3.62, P = 0.01). Total Short Physical Performance Battery score, gait component score, and balance component score were not predictive of fall-related injury. Inability to perform the repeated chair stand task was associated with increased hazard of an injurious fall for 2 yrs among a cohort of older adult primary care patients.

  4. Validation of a Manually Oscillating Chair for In-The-Field Assessment of Dynamic Visual Acuity on Crewmembers Within Hours of Returning from Long-Duration Spaceflight

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kreutzberg, G. A.; Rosenberg, M. J. F.; Peters, B. T.; Reschke, M. F.

    2017-01-01

    Due to the deconditioned state of crewmembers in the initial hours after landing, it is safer and more practical to perform a vision test while seated in a chair versus walking on a treadmill. The purpose of this study was to validate the ability of a manually operated oscillating chair to produce the oscillatory frequency and displacement equivalent of walking on a treadmill at a 4 mph pace. A fast Fourier transform (FFT)was performed on the vertical trunk acceleration to compare the peak and spread of the distribution of oscillation frequencies for each oscillating condition. Peak oscillation frequencies achieved with the manual chair were lower and more variable than those of treadmill walking and the automatic chair. This can mostly be attributed to operator fatigue. However, DVA scores across conditions were not significantly different, indicating that the manual chair can provide adequate vertical oscillation frequency and displacement with the added advantage of being portable enough for testing outside a laboratory. Furthermore the automatic chair very closely matches the oscillation frequency of treadmill walking, making it an ideal method for testing DVA in a laboratory setting.

  5. Estimation of Comfortable/Uncomfortable Feeling Based on EEG by Using NN and k-means Algorithm for Massage Chair

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Teramae, Tatsuya; Kushida, Daisuke; Takemori, Fumiaki; Kitamura, Akira

    A present massage chair realizes the massage motion and force designed by a professional masseur. However, appropriate massage force to the user can not be provided by the massage chair in such a method. On the other hand, the professional masseur can realize an appropriate massage force to more than one patient, because, the masseur considers the physical condition of the patient. Our research proposed the intelligent massage system of applying masseur's procedure for the massage chair using estimated skin elasticity and DB to relate skin elasticity and massage force. However, proposed system has a problem that DB does not adjust to unknown user, because user's feeling by massage can not be estimated. Then, this paper proposed the estimation method of comfortable/uncomfortable feeling based on EEG using the neural network and k-means algorithm. The realizability of the proposed method is verified by the experimental works.

  6. Leadership Considerations for Executive Vice Chairs, New Chairs, and Chairs in the 21st Century

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kunkel, Elisabeth J. S.; Lehrmann, Jon A.; Vergare, Michael J.; Roberts, Laura Weiss

    2013-01-01

    The need to fulfill academic goals in the context of significant economic challenges, new regulatory requirements, and ever-changing expectations for leadership requires continuous adaptation. This paper serves as an educational resource for emerging leaders from the literature, national leaders, and other "best practices" in the…

  7. Airline chair-rest deconditioning: induction of immobilisation thromboemboli?

    PubMed

    Greenleaf, John E; Rehrer, Nancy J; Mohler, Stanley R; Quach, David T; Evans, David G

    2004-01-01

    Air passenger miles will likely double by year 2020. The altered and restrictive environment in an airliner cabin can influence haematological homeostasis in passengers and crew. Flight-related deep venous thromboemboli (DVT) have been associated with at least 577 deaths on 42 of 120 airlines from 1977 to 1984 (25 deaths/million departures), whereas many such cases go unreported. However, there are four major factors that could influence formation of possible flight-induced DVT: sleeping accommodations (via sitting immobilisation); travellers' medical history (via tissue injury); cabin environmental factors (via lower partial pressure of oxygen and lower relative humidity); and the more encompassing chair-rest deconditioning (C-RD) syndrome. There is ample evidence that recent injury and surgery (especially in deconditioned hospitalised patients) facilitate thrombophlebitis and formation of DVT that may be exacerbated by the immobilisation of prolonged air travel. In the healthy flying population, immobilisation factors associated with prolonged (>5 hours) C-RD such as total body dehydration, hypovolaemia and increased blood viscosity, and reduced venous blood flow (pooling) in the legs may facilitate formation of DVT. However, data from at least four case-controlled epidemiological studies did not confirm a direct causative relationship between air travel and DVT, but factors such as a history of vascular thromboemboli, venous insufficiency, chronic heart failure, obesity, immobile standing position, more than three pregnancies, infectious disease, long-distance travel, muscular trauma and violent physical effort were significantly more frequent in DVT patients than in controls. Thus, there is no clear, direct evidence yet that prolonged sitting in airliner seats, or prolonged experimental chair-rest or bed-rest deconditioning treatments cause DVT in healthy people.

  8. Airline Chair-rest Deconditioning: Induction of Immobilization Thromboemboli?

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Greenleaf, J. E.; Rehrer, N. J.; Mohler, S. R.; Quach, D. T.; Evans, D. G.; Dalton, Bonnie P. (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    Air passenger miles will likely double by year 2020. The altered and restrictive environment in an airliner cabin can influence hematological homeostasis in passengers and crew. Flight-related deep various thromboemboli (DVT) have been associated with at least 577 deaths on 42 of 120 airlines from 1977 to 1984 (25 deaths/million departures), whereas many such cases go unreported. However, there are four major factors that could influence formation of possible flight-induced DVT: sleeping accomodations (via sitting immobilization), travelers' medical history (via tissue injury), cabin environmental factors (via lower partial pressure of oxygen and lower relative humidity), and the more encompassing chair-rest deconditioning (C-RD) syndrome. There is ample evidence that recent injury and surgery (especially in deconditioned hospitalized patients) facilitate thrombophlebitis and formation of DVT that may be exacerbated by the immobilization of prolonged air travel. In the healthy flying population immobilization factors associated with prolonged (> 5 hr) C-RID such as total body dehydration, hypovolemia and increased blood viscosity, and reduced various blood flow (pooling) in the legs may facilitate formation of DVT. However, data from at least four case-controlled epidemiological studies did not confirm a direct causative relationship between air travel and DART, but factors such as history of vascular thromboemboli, various insufficiency, chronic heart failure, obesity, immobile standing position, more than 3 pregnancies, infectious disease, long-distance travel, muscular trauma and violent physical effort were significantly more frequent in DVT patients than in controls. Thus, there is no clear, direct evidence yet that prolonged sitting in airliner seats, or prolonged experimental chair-rest- or bed- rest-deconditioning treatments cause deep various thromboemboli in healthy people.

  9. Airline chair-rest deconditioning: induction of immobilisation thromboemboli?

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Greenleaf, John E.; Rehrer, Nancy J.; Mohler, Stanley R.; Quach, David T.; Evans, David G.

    2004-01-01

    Air passenger miles will likely double by year 2020. The altered and restrictive environment in an airliner cabin can influence haematological homeostasis in passengers and crew. Flight-related deep venous thromboemboli (DVT) have been associated with at least 577 deaths on 42 of 120 airlines from 1977 to 1984 (25 deaths/million departures), whereas many such cases go unreported. However, there are four major factors that could influence formation of possible flight-induced DVT: sleeping accommodations (via sitting immobilisation); travellers' medical history (via tissue injury); cabin environmental factors (via lower partial pressure of oxygen and lower relative humidity); and the more encompassing chair-rest deconditioning (C-RD) syndrome. There is ample evidence that recent injury and surgery (especially in deconditioned hospitalised patients) facilitate thrombophlebitis and formation of DVT that may be exacerbated by the immobilisation of prolonged air travel.In the healthy flying population, immobilisation factors associated with prolonged (>5 hours) C-RD such as total body dehydration, hypovolaemia and increased blood viscosity, and reduced venous blood flow (pooling) in the legs may facilitate formation of DVT. However, data from at least four case-controlled epidemiological studies did not confirm a direct causative relationship between air travel and DVT, but factors such as a history of vascular thromboemboli, venous insufficiency, chronic heart failure, obesity, immobile standing position, more than three pregnancies, infectious disease, long-distance travel, muscular trauma and violent physical effort were significantly more frequent in DVT patients than in controls. Thus, there is no clear, direct evidence yet that prolonged sitting in airliner seats, or prolonged experimental chair-rest or bed-rest deconditioning treatments cause DVT in healthy people.

  10. Relationship of psychological and physiological parameters during an arctic ski expedition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bishop, Sheryl L.; Grobler, Lukas C.; SchjØll, Olaf

    2001-08-01

    Considerable data (primarily physiological) have been collected during expeditions in extreme environments over the last century. Physiological measurements have only recently been examined in association with the emotional or behavioral state of the subject. Establishing this psychophysiological relationship is essential to understanding fully the adaptation of humans to the stresses of extreme environments. This pilot study investigated the simultaneous collection of physiological, psychological and behavioral data from a two-man Greenland expedition in order to model how specific relationships between physiological and psychological adaptation to a polar environment may be identified. The data collected describes changes in adrenal and other hormonal activity and psychological functioning. Levels of cortisol and testosterone were calculated. Factors influencing the plasma profiles of the aforementioned included 24-hour sunlight, high calorific intake of more than 28 000 kJ/day and extreme physical exercise. There was a difference between individual psychological profiles as well as self-report stress and physiological stress.

  11. Does physical exposure throughout working life influence chair-rise performance in midlife? A retrospective cohort study of associations between work and physical function in Denmark

    PubMed Central

    Møller, Anne; Reventlow, Susanne; Hansen, Åse Marie; Andersen, Lars L; Siersma, Volkert; Lund, Rikke; Avlund, Kirsten; Andersen, Johan Hviid; Mortensen, Ole Steen

    2015-01-01

    Objectives Our aim was to study associations between physical exposures throughout working life and physical function measured as chair-rise performance in midlife. Methods The Copenhagen Aging and Midlife Biobank (CAMB) provided data about employment and measures of physical function. Individual job histories were assigned exposures from a job exposure matrix. Exposures were standardised to ton-years (lifting 1000 kg each day in 1 year), stand-years (standing/walking for 6 h each day in 1 year) and kneel-years (kneeling for 1 h each day in 1 year). The associations between exposure-years and chair-rise performance (number of chair-rises in 30 s) were analysed in multivariate linear and non-linear regression models adjusted for covariates. Results Mean age among the 5095 participants was 59 years in both genders, and, on average, men achieved 21.58 (SD=5.60) and women 20.38 (SD=5.33) chair-rises in 30 s. Physical exposures were associated with poorer chair-rise performance in both men and women, however, only associations between lifting and standing/walking and chair-rise remained statistically significant among men in the final model. Spline regression analyses showed non-linear associations and confirmed the findings. Conclusions Higher physical exposure throughout working life is associated with slightly poorer chair-rise performance. The associations between exposure and outcome were non-linear. PMID:26537502

  12. Co-Adaptive Aiding and Automation Enhance Operator Performance

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-03-01

    activation system. There is a close relation between physiologically activated adaptive aiding and brain- computer interfaces ( BCI ). BCI here refers...classification of EEG signals (Farwell & Donchin, 1988). Physiologically activated adaptive aiding is, in a sense, a special case of BCI wherein the...as passive BCI , e.g. Zander, Kothe, Jatzev, & 3 Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. 88 ABW Cleared 05/13/2013

  13. Benefits of home-based rocking-chair exercise for physical performance in community-dwelling elderly women: a randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Niemelä, Kristiina; Väänänen, Ilkka; Leinonen, Raija; Laukkanen, Pia

    2011-08-01

    Home-based exercise is a viable alternative for older adults with difficulties in exercise opportunities outside the home. The aim of this study was to investigate the benefits of home-based rocking-chair training, and its effects on the physical performance of elderly women. Community- dwelling women (n=51) aged 73-87 years were randomly assigned to the rocking-chair group (RCG, n=26) or control group (CG, n=25) by drawing lots. Baseline and outcome measurements were hand grip strength, maximal isometric knee extension, maximal walking speed over 10 meters, rising from a chair five times, and the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). The RCG carried out a six-week rocking-chair training program at home, involving ten sessions per week, twice a day for 15 minutes per session, and ten different movements. The CG continued their usual daily lives. After three months, the RCG responded to a mail questionnaire. After the intervention, the RCG improved and the CG declined. The data showed significant interactions of group by time in the BBS score (p=0.001), maximal knee extension strength (p=0.006) and maximal walking speed (p=0.046), which indicates that the change between groups during the follow-up period was significant. Adherence to the training protocol was high (96%). After three months, the exercise program had become a regular home exercise habit for 88.5% of the subjects. Results indicate that home-based elderly women benefit from this easily implemented rocking-chair exercise program. The subjects became motivated to participate in training and continued the exercises. This is a promising alternative exercise method for maintaining physical activity and leads to improvements in physical performance.

  14. Effect of walking stress on growth, physiological adaptability and endocrine responses in Malpura ewes in a semi-arid tropical environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sejian, Veerasamy; Maurya, Vijai P.; Naqvi, Syed M. K.

    2012-03-01

    Sheep in hot semi-arid environments are mostly reared using extensive systems. In addition to thermal stress and feed scarcity, the animals need to walk long distances for grazing in this ecological zone. A study was conducted to assess the effect of long-distance walking on adaptive capability in terms of physiological, biochemical and endocrine responses in Malpura ewes. Fourteen adult Malpura non-pregnant ewes weighing between 33 and 35 kg were used in the study. The ewes were randomly allocated into two groups of seven animals each: GI ( n = 7; Control), and GII ( n = 7; walking stress). The animals were stall-fed with a diet consisting of 70% roughage and 30% concentrate. Both GI and GII ewes had uniform access to feed and water. The walking stress group (GII) ewes were made to walk 14 km in two spans between 0900 and 1500 hours with 1 h 30 min for each span (7 km) of walking. The ewes subjected to walking stress (GII) were prevented from grazing by applying a face mask made of cotton thread. The study was conducted for a period of two estrous cycles (35 days) during the autumn season (October-November). Physiological responses were recorded twice daily at 0800 and 1400 hours at weekly intervals. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein at weekly intervals to study the effects of walking stress on blood biochemical and endocrine parameters. The results indicate that walking stress had significant ( P < 0.05) influence on body weight, average daily gain, respiration rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT), haemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), plasma glucose, calcium, phosphorus, aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), tri-iodo-thyronine (T3), thyroxin (T4), and cortisol. However, walking stress did not influence the reproductive hormone levels. The significant changes in RR, RT, plasma cortisol, T3 and T4 show that Malpura ewes have the capability to adapt to long-distance walking, and that adrenal and thyroid gland

  15. Sport-Specific Physiological Adaptations in Highly Trained Endurance Athletes.

    PubMed

    Lundgren, Kari Margrethe; Karlsen, Trine; Sandbakk, Øyvind; James, Philip E; Tjønna, Arnt Erik

    2015-10-01

    This study aims to compare maximal oxygen uptake (V˙O2max), blood volume (BV), hemoglobin mass (Hbmass), and brachial endothelial function, measured as flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), in international-level endurance athletes primarily exercising with the whole body (cross-country skiing), lower body (orienteering), or upper body (flatwater kayak). Seventeen cross-country skiers, 15 orienteers, and 11 flatwater kayakers were tested for V˙O2max, BV, Hbmass, and FMD. Additionally, body composition and annual training (type, volume, and intensity of training) were analyzed. Absolute and body-mass-normalized V˙O2max values were 11.3% and 9.9% higher, respectively, in skiers (5.83 ± 0.60 L·min and 77.9 ± 4.2 mL·min·kg) compared to orienteers (5.24 ± 0.45 L·min and 70.9 ± 3.5 mL·min·kg) (P < 0.01), whereas kayakers (5.78 ± 0.56 L·min and 73.7 ± 6.3 mL·min·kg) did not differ from skiers. BV was 9.9%-11.8% higher in skiers and orienteers compared to kayakers when normalized for total body mass and fat-free mass, and skiers had 9.2% and 9.9% higher Hbmass normalized for total body mass and fat-free mass compared to kayakers (all P < 0.05). Arterial diameter was 11.8%-15.0% larger in kayakers (4.38 ± 0.63 mm) and skiers (4.22 ± 0.36 mm) compared to orienteers (3.81 ± 0.32 mm) (P < 0.05), whereas FMD did not differ between groups. This study indicates that higher V˙O2max in cross-country skiers and greater arterial diameters in the arms of skiers and kayakers are sport-specific physiological adaptations to chronic endurance training in whole-body and upper-body exercise modes. However, variations in these variables are not associated with BV or Hbmass.

  16. Gamming Chairs and Gimballed Beds: Seafaring Women on Board Nineteenth-Century Ships

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seaborn, Laurel

    2017-04-01

    During the nineteenth century, many captains' wives from New England took up residence on the ships their husbands commanded. This article focuses on how those women at sea attempted to use material culture to domesticate their voyaging space. While writing in their journals, they referred to not only the small personal things such as books and knitting needles that they brought in their trunks, but also large items, built for and used by women, such as gamming chairs, deckhouses, parlor organs, sewing machines, and gimballed beds. Mary Brewster attempted to retreat from the ship's officers in her small deckhouse, Annie Brassey slept in the gimballed bed, and Lucy Lord Howes disembarked in a gamming chair when captured by Confederates during the Civil War. Evidence of these artifacts found during shipwreck archaeology could be used to further what is known of the culture aboard ships on which women lived. Analysis of the material culture reveals how a captain's wife domesticated space, altered her environment, and made a home on the ship for her family.

  17. Limitations to Thermoregulation and Acclimatization Challenge Human Adaptation to Global Warming

    PubMed Central

    Hanna, Elizabeth G.; Tait, Peter W.

    2015-01-01

    Human thermoregulation and acclimatization are core components of the human coping mechanism for withstanding variations in environmental heat exposure. Amidst growing recognition that curtailing global warming to less than two degrees is becoming increasing improbable, human survival will require increasing reliance on these mechanisms. The projected several fold increase in extreme heat events suggests we need to recalibrate health protection policies and ratchet up adaptation efforts. Climate researchers, epidemiologists, and policy makers engaged in climate change adaptation and health protection are not commonly drawn from heat physiology backgrounds. Injecting a scholarly consideration of physiological limitations to human heat tolerance into the adaptation and policy literature allows for a broader understanding of heat health risks to support effective human adaptation and adaptation planning. This paper details the physiological and external environmental factors that determine human thermoregulation and acclimatization. We present a model to illustrate the interrelationship between elements that modulate the physiological process of thermoregulation. Limitations inherent in these processes, and the constraints imposed by differing exposure levels, and thermal comfort seeking on achieving acclimatization, are then described. Combined, these limitations will restrict the likely contribution that acclimatization can play in future human adaptation to global warming. We postulate that behavioral and technological adaptations will need to become the dominant means for human individual and societal adaptations as global warming progresses. PMID:26184272

  18. Limitations to Thermoregulation and Acclimatization Challenge Human Adaptation to Global Warming.

    PubMed

    Hanna, Elizabeth G; Tait, Peter W

    2015-07-15

    Human thermoregulation and acclimatization are core components of the human coping mechanism for withstanding variations in environmental heat exposure. Amidst growing recognition that curtailing global warming to less than two degrees is becoming increasing improbable, human survival will require increasing reliance on these mechanisms. The projected several fold increase in extreme heat events suggests we need to recalibrate health protection policies and ratchet up adaptation efforts. Climate researchers, epidemiologists, and policy makers engaged in climate change adaptation and health protection are not commonly drawn from heat physiology backgrounds. Injecting a scholarly consideration of physiological limitations to human heat tolerance into the adaptation and policy literature allows for a broader understanding of heat health risks to support effective human adaptation and adaptation planning. This paper details the physiological and external environmental factors that determine human thermoregulation and acclimatization. We present a model to illustrate the interrelationship between elements that modulate the physiological process of thermoregulation. Limitations inherent in these processes, and the constraints imposed by differing exposure levels, and thermal comfort seeking on achieving acclimatization, are then described. Combined, these limitations will restrict the likely contribution that acclimatization can play in future human adaptation to global warming. We postulate that behavioral and technological adaptations will need to become the dominant means for human individual and societal adaptations as global warming progresses.

  19. Community-based Adapted Tango Dancing for Individuals with Parkinson's Disease and Older Adults

    PubMed Central

    Hackney, Madeleine E.; McKee, Kathleen

    2014-01-01

    Adapted tango dancing improves mobility and balance in older adults and additional populations with balance impairments. It is composed of very simple step elements. Adapted tango involves movement initiation and cessation, multi-directional perturbations, varied speeds and rhythms. Focus on foot placement, whole body coordination, and attention to partner, path of movement, and aesthetics likely underlie adapted tango’s demonstrated efficacy for improving mobility and balance. In this paper, we describe the methodology to disseminate the adapted tango teaching methods to dance instructor trainees and to implement the adapted tango by the trainees in the community for older adults and individuals with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Efficacy in improving mobility (measured with the Timed Up and Go, Tandem stance, Berg Balance Scale, Gait Speed and 30 sec chair stand), safety and fidelity of the program is maximized through targeted instructor and volunteer training and a structured detailed syllabus outlining class practices and progression. PMID:25548831

  20. Does physical exposure throughout working life influence chair-rise performance in midlife? A retrospective cohort study of associations between work and physical function in Denmark.

    PubMed

    Møller, Anne; Reventlow, Susanne; Hansen, Åse Marie; Andersen, Lars L; Siersma, Volkert; Lund, Rikke; Avlund, Kirsten; Andersen, Johan Hviid; Mortensen, Ole Steen

    2015-11-04

    Our aim was to study associations between physical exposures throughout working life and physical function measured as chair-rise performance in midlife. The Copenhagen Aging and Midlife Biobank (CAMB) provided data about employment and measures of physical function. Individual job histories were assigned exposures from a job exposure matrix. Exposures were standardised to ton-years (lifting 1000 kg each day in 1 year), stand-years (standing/walking for 6 h each day in 1 year) and kneel-years (kneeling for 1 h each day in 1 year). The associations between exposure-years and chair-rise performance (number of chair-rises in 30 s) were analysed in multivariate linear and non-linear regression models adjusted for covariates. Mean age among the 5095 participants was 59 years in both genders, and, on average, men achieved 21.58 (SD=5.60) and women 20.38 (SD=5.33) chair-rises in 30 s. Physical exposures were associated with poorer chair-rise performance in both men and women, however, only associations between lifting and standing/walking and chair-rise remained statistically significant among men in the final model. Spline regression analyses showed non-linear associations and confirmed the findings. Higher physical exposure throughout working life is associated with slightly poorer chair-rise performance. The associations between exposure and outcome were non-linear. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  1. Explaining bathymetric diversity patterns in marine benthic invertebrates and demersal fishes: physiological contributions to adaptation of life at depth

    PubMed Central

    Brown, Alastair; Thatje, Sven

    2014-01-01

    Bathymetric biodiversity patterns of marine benthic invertebrates and demersal fishes have been identified in the extant fauna of the deep continental margins. Depth zonation is widespread and evident through a transition between shelf and slope fauna from the shelf break to 1000 m, and a transition between slope and abyssal fauna from 2000 to 3000 m; these transitions are characterised by high species turnover. A unimodal pattern of diversity with depth peaks between 1000 and 3000 m, despite the relatively low area represented by these depths. Zonation is thought to result from the colonisation of the deep sea by shallow-water organisms following multiple mass extinction events throughout the Phanerozoic. The effects of low temperature and high pressure act across hierarchical levels of biological organisation and appear sufficient to limit the distributions of such shallow-water species. Hydrostatic pressures of bathyal depths have consistently been identified experimentally as the maximum tolerated by shallow-water and upper bathyal benthic invertebrates at in situ temperatures, and adaptation appears required for passage to deeper water in both benthic invertebrates and demersal fishes. Together, this suggests that a hyperbaric and thermal physiological bottleneck at bathyal depths contributes to bathymetric zonation. The peak of the unimodal diversity–depth pattern typically occurs at these depths even though the area represented by these depths is relatively low. Although it is recognised that, over long evolutionary time scales, shallow-water diversity patterns are driven by speciation, little consideration has been given to the potential implications for species distribution patterns with depth. Molecular and morphological evidence indicates that cool bathyal waters are the primary site of adaptive radiation in the deep sea, and we hypothesise that bathymetric variation in speciation rates could drive the unimodal diversity–depth pattern over time

  2. Effect of Dental Chair Light on Enamel Bonding of Orthodontic Brackets Using Light Cure Based Adhesive System: An In-Vitro Study

    PubMed Central

    Tiwari, Anil; Shyagali, Tarulatha; Kohli, Sarvraj; Joshi, Rishi; Gupta, Abhishek; Tiwari, Rana

    2016-01-01

    Aim: The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the influence of the Dental chair light on the bond strength of light cured composite resin. Materials and Methods: Sixty therapeutically extracted human premolar teeth were randomly allocated to two groups of 30 specimens each. In both groups light cured composite resin (Transbond XT) and MBT premolar metal brackets (3M Unitek) was used to bond brackets. In group I and II light curing was done using Light-emitting diode light curing units without and with the dental chair light respectively. After bonding, all samples were stored in distilled water at room temperature for 24 hours and subsequently tested for shear bond strength and Adhesive Remnant Index (ARI) scores. Data was subjected to Mann Whitney U statistical test. Results: Results indicated that there was significantly higher shear bond strength (7.71 ± 1.90) for the Group II (composite cured with LED and dental chair light) compared with Group I (composite cured with LED LCU only) (5.74 ± 1.13).the obtained difference was statistically significant. There was no statistical significant difference between ARI scores in between the groups. Conclusions: light cure bonding with dental chair light switched on will produce greater bond strength than the conventional bonding. However, the ARI score were similar to both the groups. It is advised that the inexperienced orthodontist should always switch off the dental chair light while bonding for enough working time during the bracket placement. PMID:28077886

  3. University-Supervised Chair Work as a Form of School and Pedagogical University Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chekaleva, Nadezhda V.; Duka, Natalia A.; Drobotenko, Julia B.; Makarova, Natalia S.; Solovev, Dmitrii N.; Soloveva, Tatiana O.; Fetter, Inna V.

    2016-01-01

    The main tendencies of pedagogical education are discussed in the article. Modern tendencies and qualifying norms to the future teacher make the opportunities for strengthening of practical orientation of higher education. The key types of university-supervised chair (unilateral and bilateral cooperation) are considered and their work is…

  4. 21 CFR 878.4960 - Operating tables and accessories and operating chairs and accessories.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Operating tables and accessories and operating chairs and accessories. 878.4960 Section 878.4960 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES Surgical...

  5. 21 CFR 878.4960 - Operating tables and accessories and operating chairs and accessories.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Operating tables and accessories and operating chairs and accessories. 878.4960 Section 878.4960 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES Surgical...

  6. 21 CFR 878.4960 - Operating tables and accessories and operating chairs and accessories.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Operating tables and accessories and operating chairs and accessories. 878.4960 Section 878.4960 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES Surgical...

  7. 21 CFR 878.4960 - Operating tables and accessories and operating chairs and accessories.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Operating tables and accessories and operating chairs and accessories. 878.4960 Section 878.4960 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES Surgical...

  8. 21 CFR 878.4960 - Operating tables and accessories and operating chairs and accessories.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Operating tables and accessories and operating chairs and accessories. 878.4960 Section 878.4960 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES Surgical...

  9. A survey of the bacterial diversity in the cup filler of dental chair units.

    PubMed

    Silva, Vítor; Figueira, Vânia; Figueiral, Helena; Manaia, Célia M

    2011-07-01

    Water from the cup filler of dental chair units (CFDC) was observed to contain sphingomonads, environmental mycobacteria and methylobacteria, among other minor bacteria. Some of the bacteria detected are recognized opportunistic pathogens. Some of these, tended to persist over time.

  10. Physiology modulates social flexibility and collective behaviour in equids and other large ungulates.

    PubMed

    Gersick, Andrew S; Rubenstein, Daniel I

    2017-08-19

    Though morphologically very similar, equids across the extant species occupy ecological niches that are surprisingly non-overlapping. Occupancy of these distinct niches appears related to subtle physiological and behavioural adaptations which, in turn, correspond to significant differences in the social behaviours and emergent social systems characterizing the different species. Although instances of intraspecific behavioural variation in equids demonstrate that the same body plan can support a range of social structures, each of these morphologically similar species generally shows robust fidelity to its evolved social system. The pattern suggests a subtle relationship between physiological phenotypes and behavioural flexibility. While environmental conditions can vary widely within relatively short temporal or spatial scales, physiological changes and changes to the behaviours that regulate physiological processes, are constrained to longer cycles of adaptation. Physiology is then the limiting variable in the interaction between ecological variation and behavioural and socio-structural flexibility. Behavioural and socio-structural flexibility, in turn, will generate important feedbacks that will govern physiological function, thus creating a coupled web of interactions that can lead to changes in individual and collective behaviour. Longitudinal studies of equid and other large-bodied ungulate populations under environmental stress, such as those discussed here, may offer the best opportunities for researchers to examine, in real time, the interplay between individual behavioural plasticity, socio-structural flexibility, and the physiological and genetic changes that together produce adaptive change.This article is part of the themed issue 'Physiological determinants of social behaviour in animals'. © 2017 The Author(s).

  11. Intergenerational Transmission of Aggression: Physiological Regulatory Processes

    PubMed Central

    Margolin, Gayla; Ramos, Michelle C.; Timmons, Adela C.; Miller, Kelly F.; Han, Sohyun C.

    2015-01-01

    Children who grow up in aggressive households are at risk of having problems with physiological regulation, but researchers have not investigated physiology as a mechanism in the intergenerational transmission of aggression. In this article, we posit that physiological regulation, particularly during stressful interpersonal interactions, may shed light on sensitivity to conflict, It can also inform our understanding of associations between childhood exposure to aggression in families of origin and aggression against partners in adolescence or adulthood. In support of this model, we highlight findings showing that childhood exposure to family aggression relates to physiological regulation across the life span, and that reactions to physiological stress concurrently relate to aggression against intimate partners. Emerging evidence from research on biological processes during stressful interpersonal interactions raises questions about what is adaptive for individuals from aggressive families, particularly as past family experiences intersect with the challenges of new relationships. PMID:26929773

  12. Resistance Training: Physiological Responses and Adaptations (Part 2 of 4).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fleck, Stephen J.; Kraerner, William J.

    1988-01-01

    Resistance training causes a variety of physiological reactions, including changes in muscle size, connective tissue size, and bone mineral content. This article summarizes data from a variety of studies and research. (JL)

  13. Patient state index and cerebral blood flow changes during shoulder arthroscopy in beach chair position.

    PubMed

    Buget, Mehmet Ilke; Atalar, Ata Can; Edipoglu, Ipek Saadet; Sungur, Zerrin; Sivrikoz, Nukhet; Karadeniz, Meltem; Saka, Esra; Kucukay, Suleyman; Senturk, Mert N

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the study were to demonstrate the possible hemodynamic changes and cerebral blood flow alterations in patients who were positioned from supine to beach chair position; and to detect if the position change causes any cortical activity alteration as measured by the 4-channeled electroencephalography monitor. 35 patients were included. Before the induction, mean arterial pressure and patient state index values were recorded (T0). After the intubation, doppler-ultrasonography of the patients' internal carotid and vertebral arteries were evaluated to acquire cerebral blood flow values from the formula. In supine position, mean arterial pressure, patient state index and cerebral blood flow values were recorded (T1) and the patient was positioned to beach chair position. After 5min all measurements were repeated (T2). Measurements of patient state index and mean arterial pressure were repeated after 20 (T3), and 40 (T4)min. There was a significant decrease between T0 and T1 in heart rate (80.5±11.6 vs. 75.9±14.4beats/min), MAP (105.8±21.9 vs. 78.9±18.4mmHg) and PSI (88.5±8.3 vs. 30.3±9.7) (all p<0.05). Mean arterial pressure decreased significantly after position change, and remained decreased, compared to T1. The overall analysis of patient state index values (T1-T4) showed no significant change; however, comparing only T1 and T2 resulted in a statically significant decrease in patient state index. There was a significant decrease in cerebral blood flow after beach chair position. Beach chair position was associated with a decrease in cerebral blood flow and patient state index values. Patient state index was affected by the gravitational change of the cerebral blood flow; however, both factors were not directly correlated to each other. Moreover, the decrease in patient state index value was transient and returned to normal values within 20min. Copyright © 2015 Sociedade Brasileira de Anestesiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights

  14. [Patient state index and cerebral blood flow changes during shoulder arthroscopy in beach chair position].

    PubMed

    Buget, Mehmet Ilke; Atalar, Ata Can; Edipoglu, Ipek Saadet; Sungur, Zerrin; Sivrikoz, Nukhet; Karadeniz, Meltem; Saka, Esra; Kucukay, Suleyman; Senturk, Mert N

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the study were to demonstrate the possible hemodynamic changes and cerebral blood flow alterations in patients who were positioned from supine to beach chair position; and to detect if the position change causes any cortical activity alteration as measured by the 4-channeled electroencephalography monitor. 35 patients were included. Before the induction, mean arterial pressure and patient state index values were recorded (T0). After the intubation, doppler-ultrasonography of the patients' internal carotid and vertebral arteries were evaluated to acquire cerebral blood flow values from the formula. In supine position, mean arterial pressure, patient state index and cerebral blood flow values were recorded (T1) and the patient was positioned to beach chair position. After 5min all measurements were repeated (T2). Measurements of patient state index and mean arterial pressure were repeated after 20 (T3), and 40 (T4)min. There was a significant decrease between T0 and T1 in heart rate (80.5±11.6 vs. 75.9±14.4beats/min), MAP (105.8±21.9 vs. 78.9±18.4mmHg) and PSI (88.5±8.3 vs. 30.3±9.7) (all p<0.05). Mean arterial pressure decreased significantly after position change, and remained decreased, compared to T1. The overall analysis of patient state index values (T1-T4) showed no significant change; however, comparing only T1 and T2 resulted in a statically significant decrease in patient state index. There was a significant decrease in cerebral blood flow after beach chair position. Beach chair position was associated with a decrease in cerebral blood flow and patient state index values. Patient state index was affected by the gravitational change of the cerebral blood flow; however, both factors were not directly correlated to each other. Moreover, the decrease in patient state index value was transient and returned to normal values within 20min. Copyright © 2015 Sociedade Brasileira de Anestesiologia. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights

  15. [Stress-induced cellular adaptive mutagenesis].

    PubMed

    Zhu, Linjiang; Li, Qi

    2014-04-01

    The adaptive mutations exist widely in the evolution of cells, such as antibiotic resistance mutations of pathogenic bacteria, adaptive evolution of industrial strains, and cancerization of human somatic cells. However, how these adaptive mutations are generated is still controversial. Based on the mutational analysis models under the nonlethal selection conditions, stress-induced cellular adaptive mutagenesis is proposed as a new evolutionary viewpoint. The hypothetic pathway of stress-induced mutagenesis involves several intracellular physiological responses, including DNA damages caused by accumulation of intracellular toxic chemicals, limitation of DNA MMR (mismatch repair) activity, upregulation of general stress response and activation of SOS response. These responses directly affect the accuracy of DNA replication from a high-fidelity manner to an error-prone one. The state changes of cell physiology significantly increase intracellular mutation rate and recombination activity. In addition, gene transcription under stress condition increases the instability of genome in response to DNA damage, resulting in transcription-associated DNA mutagenesis. In this review, we summarize these two molecular mechanisms of stress-induced mutagenesis and transcription-associated DNA mutagenesis to help better understand the mechanisms of adaptive mutagenesis.

  16. The Liberal Arts Department Chairs' Leadership Approach for Providing Faculty Professional Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    White, Kevin C.

    2017-01-01

    Colleges and universities have a need to prepare faculty to educate students to be critical thinkers and well-rounded individuals. In accomplishing this goal, the undergraduate academic department chair takes on a critical role to assist with the process of faculty professional development. Currently, there is a call from different stakeholders…

  17. Fostering Department Chair Instructional Leadership Capacity: Laying the Groundwork for Distributed Instructional Leadership

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klar, Hans W.

    2012-01-01

    In this article, I provide findings from a multisite case study of three urban high schools. In each of the schools, principals endeavoured to foster the capabilities of their department chairs to enhance school-wide instructional capacity and increase student achievement. Data were gathered from interviews, participant observations and document…

  18. Higher Education Department Chairs and Academic Human Resource Decision Making: Does Unionization Matter?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dzwik, Leigh Settlemoir

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess faculty unionization's impact on academic human resource decision making for department chairs. The academic human resource decisions included in the study were: academic hiring; re-employment, promotion and tenure; other faculty evaluation decisions; and discipline and discharge. The first purpose of this…

  19. Evolutionary stasis and lability in thermal physiology in a group of tropical lizards.

    PubMed

    Muñoz, Martha M; Stimola, Maureen A; Algar, Adam C; Conover, Asa; Rodriguez, Anthony J; Landestoy, Miguel A; Bakken, George S; Losos, Jonathan B

    2014-03-07

    Understanding how quickly physiological traits evolve is a topic of great interest, particularly in the context of how organisms can adapt in response to climate warming. Adjustment to novel thermal habitats may occur either through behavioural adjustments, physiological adaptation or both. Here, we test whether rates of evolution differ among physiological traits in the cybotoids, a clade of tropical Anolis lizards distributed in markedly different thermal environments on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. We find that cold tolerance evolves considerably faster than heat tolerance, a difference that results because behavioural thermoregulation more effectively shields these organisms from selection on upper than lower temperature tolerances. Specifically, because lizards in very different environments behaviourally thermoregulate during the day to similar body temperatures, divergent selection on body temperature and heat tolerance is precluded, whereas night-time temperatures can only be partially buffered by behaviour, thereby exposing organisms to selection on cold tolerance. We discuss how exposure to selection on physiology influences divergence among tropical organisms and its implications for adaptive evolutionary response to climate warming.

  20. Evolutionary stasis and lability in thermal physiology in a group of tropical lizards

    PubMed Central

    Muñoz, Martha M.; Stimola, Maureen A.; Algar, Adam C.; Conover, Asa; Rodriguez, Anthony J.; Landestoy, Miguel A.; Bakken, George S.; Losos, Jonathan B.

    2014-01-01

    Understanding how quickly physiological traits evolve is a topic of great interest, particularly in the context of how organisms can adapt in response to climate warming. Adjustment to novel thermal habitats may occur either through behavioural adjustments, physiological adaptation or both. Here, we test whether rates of evolution differ among physiological traits in the cybotoids, a clade of tropical Anolis lizards distributed in markedly different thermal environments on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. We find that cold tolerance evolves considerably faster than heat tolerance, a difference that results because behavioural thermoregulation more effectively shields these organisms from selection on upper than lower temperature tolerances. Specifically, because lizards in very different environments behaviourally thermoregulate during the day to similar body temperatures, divergent selection on body temperature and heat tolerance is precluded, whereas night-time temperatures can only be partially buffered by behaviour, thereby exposing organisms to selection on cold tolerance. We discuss how exposure to selection on physiology influences divergence among tropical organisms and its implications for adaptive evolutionary response to climate warming. PMID:24430845

  1. A survey of the bacterial diversity in the cup filler of dental chair units

    PubMed Central

    Silva, Vítor; Figueira, Vânia; Figueiral, Helena; Manaia, Célia M.

    2011-01-01

    Water from the cup filler of dental chair units (CFDC) was observed to contain sphingomonads, environmental mycobacteria and methylobacteria, among other minor bacteria. Some of the bacteria detected are recognized opportunistic pathogens. Some of these, tended to persist over time. PMID:24031712

  2. Space physiology II: adaptation of the central nervous system to space flight--past, current, and future studies.

    PubMed

    Clément, Gilles; Ngo-Anh, Jennifer Thu

    2013-07-01

    Experiments performed in orbit on the central nervous system have focused on the control of posture, eye movements, spatial orientation, as well as cognitive processes, such as three-dimensional visual perception and mental representation of space. Brain activity has also been recorded during and immediately after space flight for evaluating the changes in brain structure activation during tasks involving perception, attention, memory, decision, and action. Recent ground-based studies brought evidence that the inputs from the neurovestibular system also participate in orthostatic intolerance. It is, therefore, important to revisit the flight data of neuroscience studies in the light of new models of integrative physiology. The outcomes of this exercise will increase our knowledge on the adaptation of body functions to changing gravitational environment, vestibular disorders, aging, and our approach towards more effective countermeasures during human space flight and planetary exploration.

  3. Vestibulo-Ocular Responses to Vertical Translation using a Hand-Operated Chair as a Field Measure of Otolith Function

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wood, S. J.; Campbell, D. J.; Reschke, M. F.; Prather, L.; Clement, G.

    2016-01-01

    The translational Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex (tVOR) is an important otolith-mediated response to stabilize gaze during natural locomotion. One goal of this study was to develop a measure of the tVOR using a simple hand-operated chair that provided passive vertical motion. Binocular eye movements were recorded with a tight-fitting video mask in ten healthy subjects. Vertical motion was provided by a modified spring-powered chair (swopper.com) at approximately 2 Hz (+/- 2 cm displacement) to approximate the head motion during walking. Linear acceleration was measured with wireless inertial sensors (Xsens) mounted on the head and torso. Eye movements were recorded while subjects viewed near (0.5m) and far (approximately 4m) targets, and then imagined these targets in darkness. Subjects also provided perceptual estimates of target distances. Consistent with the kinematic properties shown in previous studies, the tVOR gain was greater with near targets, and greater with vision than in darkness. We conclude that this portable chair system can provide a field measure of otolith-ocular function at frequencies sufficient to elicit a robust tVOR.

  4. Introgression of physiological traits for a comprehensive improvement of drought adaptation in crop plants

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sreeman, Sheshshayee M.; Vijayaraghavareddy, Preethi; Sreevathsa, Rohini; Rajendrareddy, Sowmya; Arakesh, Smitharani; Bharti, Pooja; Dharmappa, Prathibha; Soolanayakanahally, Raju

    2018-04-01

    Burgeoning population growth, industrial demand and the predicted global climate change resulting in erratic monsoon rains are expected to severely limit fresh water availability for agriculture both in irrigated and rainfed ecosystems. In order to remain food and nutrient secure, agriculture research needs to focus on devising strategies to save water in irrigated conditions and to develop superior cultivars with improved water productivity to sustain yield under rainfed conditions. Recent opinions accruing in the scientific literature strongly favour the adoption of a “trait based” approach for increasing water productivity especially the traits associated with maintenance of positive tissue turgor and maintenance of increased carbon assimilation as the most relevant traits to improve crop growth rates under water limiting conditions and to enhance water productivity. The advent of several water saving agronomic practices notwithstanding, a genetic enhancement strategy of introgressing distinct physiological, morphological and cellular mechanisms on to a single elite genetic background is essential for achieving a comprehensive improvement in drought adaptation in crop plants. The significant progress made in genomics, though would provide the necessary impetus, a clear understanding of the “traits” to be introgressed is the most essential need of the hour. Water uptake by a better root architecture, water conservation by preventing unproductive transpiration is crucial for maintaining positive tissue water relations. Improved carbon assimilation associated with carboxylation capacity and mesophyll conductance is equally important in sustaining crop growth rates under water limited conditions. Besides these major traits, we summarized the available information in literature on classifying various drought adaptive traits. We provide evidences that water-use efficiency when introgressed with moderately higher transpiration, would significantly enhance

  5. Cerebral oxygenation in the beach chair position for shoulder surgery in regional anesthesia: impact on cerebral blood flow and neurobehavioral outcome.

    PubMed

    Aguirre, José A; Märzendorfer, Olivia; Brada, Muriel; Saporito, Andrea; Borgeat, Alain; Bühler, Philipp

    2016-12-01

    Beach chair position is considered a potential risk factor for central neurological events particularly if combined with low blood pressure. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of regional anesthesia on cerebral blood flow and neurobehavioral outcome. This is a prospective, assessor-blinded observational study evaluating patients in the beach chair position undergoing shoulder surgery under regional anesthesia. University hospital operating room. Forty patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists classes I-II physical status scheduled for elective shoulder surgery. Cerebral saturation and blood flow of the middle cerebral artery were measured prior to anesthesia and continued after beach chair positioning until discharge to the postanesthesia care unit. The anesthesiologist was blinded for these values. Controlled hypotension with systolic blood pressure≤100mm Hg was maintained during surgery. Neurobehavioral tests and values of regional cerebral saturation, bispectral index, the mean maximal blood flow of the middle cerebral artery, and invasive blood pressure were measured prior to regional anesthesia, and measurements were repeated after placement of the patient on the beach chair position and every 20 minutes thereafter until discharge to postanesthesia care unit. The neurobehavioral tests were repeated the day after surgery. The incidence of cerebral desaturation events was 5%. All patients had a significant blood pressure drop 5 minutes after beach chair positioning, measured at the heart as well as the acoustic meatus levels, when compared with baseline values (P<.05). There was no decrease in either the regional cerebral saturation (P=.136) or the maximal blood flow of the middle cerebral artery (P=.212) at the same time points. Some neurocognitive tests showed an impairment 24 hours after surgery (P<.001 for 2 of 3 tests). Beach chair position in patients undergoing regional anesthesia for shoulder surgery had no major impact on

  6. Effects of chair yoga therapy on physical fitness in patients with psychiatric disorders: A 12-week single-blind randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Ikai, Saeko; Uchida, Hiroyuki; Mizuno, Yuya; Tani, Hideaki; Nagaoka, Maki; Tsunoda, Kenichi; Mimura, Masaru; Suzuki, Takefumi

    2017-11-01

    Since falls may lead to fractures and have serious, potentially fatal outcomes, prevention of falls is an urgent public health issue. We examined the effects of chair yoga therapy on physical fitness among psychiatric patients in order to reduce the risk of falls, which has not been previously reported in the literature. In this 12-week single-blind randomized controlled trial with a 6-week follow-up, inpatients with mixed psychiatric diagnoses were randomly assigned to either chair yoga therapy in addition to ongoing treatment, or treatment-as-usual. Chair yoga therapy was conducted as twice-weekly 20-min sessions over 12 weeks. Assessments included anteflexion in sitting, degree of muscle strength, and Modified Falls Efficacy Scale (MFES) as well as QOL, psychopathology and functioning. Fifty-six inpatients participated in this study (36 men; mean ± SD age, 55.3 ± 13.7 years; schizophrenia 87.5%). In the chair yoga group, significant improvements were observed in flexibility, hand-grip, lower limb muscle endurance, and MFES at week 12 (mean ± SD: 55.1 ± 16.6 to 67.2 ± 14.0 cm, 23.6 ± 10.6 to 26.8 ± 9.7 kg, 4.9 ± 4.0 to 7.0 ± 3.9 kg, and 114.9 ± 29.2 to 134.1 ± 11.6, respectively). Additionally, these improvements were observable six weeks after the intervention was over. The QOL-VAS improved in the intervention group while no differences were noted in psychopathology and functioning between the groups. The intervention appeared to be highly tolerable without any notable adverse effects. The results indicated sustainable effects of 20-min, 12-week, 24-session chair yoga therapy on physical fitness. Chair yoga therapy may contribute to reduce the risk of falls and their unwanted consequences in psychiatric patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. School Board Chair Understandings about School Restructuring in North Carolina: Implications for Policy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keedy, John L.; Freeman, Eric

    This paper reports on a study that investigated how local school board chairs (N=16) in North Carolina framed school restructuring. It examines major problems awaiting to be addressed in public education and discusses what board members can do to create the conditions under which schools help students become productive citizens. Data collected…

  8. Epigenomics and human adaptation to high altitude.

    PubMed

    Julian, Colleen G

    2017-11-01

    Over the past decade, major technological and analytical advancements have propelled efforts toward identifying the molecular mechanisms that govern human adaptation to high altitude. Despite remarkable progress with respect to the identification of adaptive genomic signals that are strongly associated with the "hypoxia-tolerant" physiological characteristics of high-altitude populations, many questions regarding the fundamental biological processes underlying human adaptation remain unanswered. Vital to address these enduring questions will be determining the role of epigenetic processes, or non-sequence-based features of the genome, that are not only critical for the regulation of transcriptional responses to hypoxia but heritable across generations. This review proposes that epigenomic processes are involved in shaping patterns of adaptation to high altitude by influencing adaptive potential and phenotypic variability under conditions of limited oxygen supply. Improved understanding of the interaction between genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors holds great promise to provide deeper insight into the mechanisms underlying human adaptive potential, and clarify its implications for biomedical research. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

  9. Environmental physiology of a small marsupial inhabiting arid floodplains.

    PubMed

    Warnecke, L; Cooper, C E; Geiser, F; Withers, P C

    2010-09-01

    Giles' planigale (Planigale gilesi) is among the smallest extant marsupials and inhabits deep soil cracks in arid floodplains. We examined whether its physiology shows specific adaptations to its extreme habitat. Metabolic rate, body temperature, evaporative water loss and thermal conductance were measured for eight planigales (average mass 9 g) exposed to four different ambient temperatures ranging from 10 degrees C to 32 degrees C. Water economy and respiratory variables were measured for the first time in this species. All of these standard physiological variables conformed to allometrically-predicted values for a marsupial. All variables were significantly affected by ambient temperature, except tidal volume and dry thermal conductance. Metabolic rate increased substantially at low ambient temperatures, as required to maintain a relatively constant body temperature of about 32-34 degrees C. This increased oxygen demand was accommodated by increased ventilation rather than increased oxygen extraction. Planigales had a comparatively high point of relative water economy of 19.1 degrees C, consistent with their small body size and arid habitat. Torpor reduced energy expenditure by 79% and evaporative water loss by 62%. Our study suggests that torpor use, along with behavioural adaptations, suffice for P. gilesi to live underground in arid habitats without further physiological adaptations. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. The physiological ecology of the supratidal amphipod Talorchestia longicornis.

    PubMed

    Ramus, Aaron P; Forward, Richard B

    2012-02-01

    Physiology, behavior, habitat, and morphology are used to determine the degree of adaptation to life on land for amphipod species and systemization within the four functional groups of the family talitridae. Talorchestia longicornis is a semi-terrestrial amphipod found in the supratidal zone of estuaries. The present study investigates the physiological adaptations of this species to life on land through measurements of osmoregulation and respiration. Over the salinity range of 1-40‰, T. longicornis regulated its hemolymph hyperosmotically at low salinities and hypoosmotically at high salinities. The isosmotic point was about 27‰. Analogously, hemolymph chloride levels were well regulated being hyperionic at low salinities and hypoionic at high salinities. This species is capable of respiration in both air and water. Slopes (b values) of the relationship between weight and oxygen uptake rates ranged from 0.316 to 0.590. Oxygen uptake rates were higher in air than water and at night versus day. Q(10) values were slightly below 2.0 for respiration in air for amphipods, irrespective of weight. These physiological adaptations, along with its behaviors, habitat, and morphology, place T. longicornis within the Group III sandhoppers of the Talitridae. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  11. Asynchronous evolution of physiology and morphology in Anolis lizards.

    PubMed

    Hertz, Paul E; Arima, Yuzo; Harrison, Alexis; Huey, Raymond B; Losos, Jonathan B; Glor, Richard E

    2013-07-01

    Species-rich adaptive radiations typically diversify along several distinct ecological axes, each characterized by morphological, physiological, and behavioral adaptations. We test here whether different types of adaptive traits share similar patterns of evolution within a radiation by investigating patterns of evolution of morphological traits associated with microhabitat specialization and of physiological traits associated with thermal biology in Anolis lizards. Previous studies of anoles suggest that close relatives share the same "structural niche" (i.e., use the same types of perches) and are similar in body size and shape, but live in different "climatic niches" (i.e., use habitats with different insolation and temperature profiles). Because morphology is closely tied to structural niche and field active body temperatures are tied to climatic niches in Anolis, we expected phylogenetic analyses to show that morphology is more evolutionarily conservative than thermal physiology. In support of this hypothesis, we find (1) that thermal biology exhibits more divergence among recently diverged Anolis taxa than does morphology; and (2) diversification of thermal biology among all species often follows diversification in morphology. These conclusions are remarkably consistent with predictions made by anole biologists in the 1960s and 1970s. © 2013 The Author(s). Evolution © 2013 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

  12. Effects of a 12-week marching in place and chair rise daily exercise intervention on ADL and functional mobility in frail older adults.

    PubMed

    Kato, Yoshiji; Islam, Mohammod M; Koizumi, Daisuke; Rogers, Michael E; Takeshima, Nobuo

    2018-04-01

    [Purpose] To determine the effects of a 12-week intervention consisting of marching in place and chair rising daily exercise on activities of daily living and functional mobility (ability to quickly rise from a chair and walk) in frail older adults. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty-one participants were divided into exercise (n=18, age=77.6 ± 7.2 years; 11 males, 7 females) and non-exercise (n=13, age=79.6 ± 7.7 years; 7 males, 6 females) groups. The exercise group performed 12 weeks of training, 7 days per week, and 20 minutes per session. The exercise program consisted of low to moderate intensity marching in place and chair rising movements. The speed of movements was gradually increased over time. The Barthel index, mean power during chair stand, and time to complete a 10-m walk were assessed before and after the intervention. [Results] Significant improvements were noted in the exercise group compared to the non-exercise group for the Barthel Index (11.6%), mean power (33%), and 10-M walk (14.6%) with a medium effect size, and relative mean power (power/body mass) (32.9%) with a large effect size. [Conclusion] The progressive marching in place and chair rising exercise intervention appears to be effective in improving activities of daily living and functional mobility among frail older adults.

  13. A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of Chair Yoga on Pain and Physical Function Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults With Lower Extremity Osteoarthritis.

    PubMed

    Park, Juyoung; McCaffrey, Ruth; Newman, David; Liehr, Patricia; Ouslander, Joseph G

    2017-03-01

    To determine effects of Sit 'N' Fit Chair Yoga, compared to a Health Education program (HEP), on pain and physical function in older adults with lower extremity osteoarthritis (OA) who could not participate in standing exercise. Two-arm randomized controlled trial. One HUD senior housing facility and one day senior center in south Florida. Community-dwelling older adults (N = 131) were randomly assigned to chair yoga (n = 66) or HEP (n = 65). Thirteen dropped after assignment but prior to the intervention; six dropped during the intervention; 106 of 112 completed at least 12 of 16 sessions (95% retention rate). Participants attended either chair yoga or HEP. Both interventions consisted of twice-weekly 45-minute sessions for 8 weeks. Primary: pain, pain interference; secondary: balance, gait speed, fatigue, functional ability measured at baseline, after 4 weeks of intervention, at the end of the 8-week intervention, and post-intervention (1 and 3 months). The chair yoga group showed greater reduction in pain interference during the intervention (P = .01), sustained through 3 months (P = .022). WOMAC pain (P = .048), gait speed (P = .024), and fatigue (P = .037) were improved in the yoga group during the intervention (P = .048) but improvements were not sustained post intervention. Chair yoga had no effect on balance. An 8-week chair yoga program was associated with reduction in pain, pain interference, and fatigue, and improvement in gait speed, but only the effects on pain interference were sustained 3 months post intervention. Chair yoga should be further explored as a nonpharmacologic intervention for older people with OA in the lower extremities. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02113410. © 2016, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2016, The American Geriatrics Society.

  14. Comparison of the BackJoy SitSmart Relief and Spine Buddy LT1 H/C Ergonomic Chair Supports on Short-Term Neck and Back Pain.

    PubMed

    Ward, John; Coats, Jesse

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to perform a needs assessment to determine whether short-term use of BackJoy SitSmart Relief and Spine Buddy LT1 H/C chair supports influences neck, upper back, and lower back pain. Forty-eight college students (age, 27.5 ± 6.3 years; height, 1.72 ± 0.08 m; body mass, 78.7 ± 19.8 kg; time seated that day, 4.3 ± 2.8 hours; means ± SD) were recruited for this study. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to measure pain for the neck, upper back, and lower back regions. Subjects were randomized to sit in a stationary office chair for a single 12-minute period under 1 of 4 conditions: office chair only (control group), BackJoy SitSmart Relief and chair, freezer-cooled Spine Buddy LT1 H/C and chair, or microwave-heated Spine Buddy LT1 H/C and chair. Participants then completed a posttest Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. A between-within repeated-measures analysis of variance using the between-subject factor intervention (group) and within-subject factor time (baseline and posttest) was used to analyze study data. The main effect of time across the whole sample was statistically significant for neck (P = .000), upper back (P = .032), and lower back (P = .000) pain; however, there was no statistically significant interaction effect between intervention and time. Thus, as long as participants sat down and rested, symptoms improved similarly across the different groups. In this preliminary study, short-term and single use of a support product for an office chair had no additive effect on reducing neck and back pain. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  15. A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of Chair Yoga on Pain and Physical Function Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults With Lower Extremity Osteoarthritis

    PubMed Central

    Park, Juyoung; McCaffrey, Ruth; Newman, David; Liehr, Patricia; Ouslander, Joseph G.

    2016-01-01

    Objectives To determine effects of Sit ‘N’ Fit Chair Yoga, compared to a Health Education program (HEP), on pain and physical function in older adults with lower extremity osteoarthritis (OA) who could not participate in standing exercise Design Two-arm randomized controlled trial Setting One HUD senior housing facility and one day senior center in south Florida Participants Community-dwelling older adults (N = 131) were randomly assigned to chair yoga (n = 66) or HEP (n = 65). Thirteen dropped after assignment but prior to the intervention; 6 dropped during the intervention; 106 of 112 completed at least 12 of 16 sessions (95% retention rate). Interventions Participants attended either chair yoga or HEP. Both interventions consisted of twice-weekly 45-minute sessions for 8 weeks. Measurements Primary: pain, pain interference; secondary: balance, gait speed, fatigue, functional ability measured at baseline, after 4 weeks of intervention, at the end of the 8-week intervention, and post-intervention (1 and 3 months). Results The chair yoga group showed greater reduction in pain interference during the intervention (p = .01), sustained through 3 months (p = .022). WOMAC pain (p = .048), gait speed (p = .024), and fatigue (p = .037) were improved in the yoga group during the intervention (p = .048) but improvements were not sustained post intervention. Chair yoga had no effect on balance. Conclusion An 8-week chair yoga program was associated with reduction in pain, pain interference, and fatigue, and improvement in gait speed, but only the effects on pain interference were sustained 3 months post intervention. Chair yoga should be further explored as a nonpharmacologic intervention for older people with OA in the lower extremities. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02113410 PMID:28008603

  16. Alterations in physiology and anatomy during pregnancy.

    PubMed

    Tan, Eng Kien; Tan, Eng Loy

    2013-12-01

    Pregnant women undergo profound anatomical and physiological changes so that they can cope with the increased physical and metabolic demands of their pregnancies. The cardiovascular, respiratory, haematological, renal, gastrointestinal and endocrine systems all undergo important physiological alterations and adaptations needed to allow development of the fetus and to allow the mother and fetus to survive the demands of childbirth. Such alterations in anatomy and physiology may cause difficulties in interpreting signs, symptoms, and biochemical investigations, making the clinical assessment of a pregnant woman inevitably confusing but challenging. Understanding these changes is important for every practicing obstetrician, as the pathological deviations from the normal physiological alterations may not be clear-cut until an adverse outcome has resulted. Only with a sound knowledge of the physiology and anatomy changes can the care of an obstetric parturient be safely optimized for a better maternal and fetal outcome. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Paediatric dental chair sedation: An audit of current practice in Gauteng, South Africa.

    PubMed

    Bham, F; Perrie, H; Scribante, J; Lee, C-A

    2015-06-01

    Procedural sedation and analgesia (PSA) is often required to perform dental procedures in children. Serious adverse outcomes, while rare, are usually preventable. To determine the proportion of dental practitioners making use of paediatric dental chair PSA in Gauteng Province, South Africa, describe their PSA practice, and determine compliance with recommended safety standards. A prospective, contextual, descriptive study design was used, with 222 randomly selected dental practitioners contacted to determine whether they offered paediatric dental chair PSA. Practitioners offering PSA were then asked to complete a web-based questionnaire assessing their practice. Of the 213 dental practitioners contacted, 94 (44.1%; 95% confidence interval 37 - 51) provided PSA to children. Most patients were 1 - 5 years old, although there were practices that offered PSA to infants. While most procedures were performed under minimal to moderate sedation, deep sedation and general anaesthesia were also administered in dental rooms. Midazolam was the most frequently used sedative agent, often in conjunction with inhaled nitrous oxide; 28.1% of PSA providers administered a combination of three or more agents. Presedation patient assessment was documented in 83.0% of cases, and informed consent for sedation was obtained in 75.6%. The survey raised several areas of concern regarding patient safety: 41.3% of dental practices did not use any monitoring equipment during sedation; the operator was responsible for the sedation and monitoring of the patient in 41.3%; 43.2% did not keep any recommended emergency drugs; and 19.6% did not have any emergency or resuscitation equipment available. Most respondents (81.8%) indicated an interest in sedation training. Paediatric dental chair PSA was offered by 44.1% of dental practitioners interviewed in Gauteng. Modalities of PSA provided varied between practices, with a number of safety concerns being raised.

  18. The Cockpit's Empty Chair: Education through Appropriating Alienation at a Chicago Technology Museum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lormier, Anne

    2007-01-01

    Background/Context: In the United States, the percentage of schoolchildren planning to become high-status professionals is grossly disproportionate to the percentage of such jobs comprising our division of labor. As in a game of musical chairs, it is not structurally possible for everyone to remain a contender. Focus of Study: Various adults who…

  19. [Adaptive optics for ophthalmology].

    PubMed

    Saleh, M

    2016-04-01

    Adaptive optics is a technology enhancing the visual performance of an optical system by correcting its optical aberrations. Adaptive optics have already enabled several breakthroughs in the field of visual sciences, such as improvement of visual acuity in normal and diseased eyes beyond physiologic limits, and the correction of presbyopia. Adaptive optics technology also provides high-resolution, in vivo imaging of the retina that may eventually help to detect the onset of retinal conditions at an early stage and provide better assessment of treatment efficacy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  20. Induction of Osmoadaptive Mechanisms and Modulation of Cellular Physiology Help Bacillus licheniformis Strain SSA 61 Adapt to Salt Stress

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

    Paul, Sangeeta; Aggarwal, Chetana; Thakur, Jyoti Kumar

    Bacillus licheniformis strain SSA 61, originally isolated from Sambhar salt lake, was observed to grow even in the presence of 25 % salt stress. Osmoadaptive mechanisms of this halotolerant B. licheniformis strain SSA 61, for long-term survival and growth under salt stress, were determined. Proline was the preferentially accumulated compatible osmolyte. There was also increased accumulation of antioxidants ascorbic acid and glutathione. Among the different antioxidative enzymes assayed, superoxide dismutase played the most crucial role in defense against salt-induced stress in the organism. Adaptation to stress by the organism involved modulation of cellular physiology at various levels. There was enhancedmore » expression of known proteins playing essential roles in stress adaptation, such as chaperones DnaK and GroEL, and general stress protein YfkM and polynucleotide phosphorylase/polyadenylase. Proteins involved in amino acid biosynthetic pathway, ribosome structure, and peptide elongation were also overexpressed. Salt stress-induced modulation of expression of enzymes involved in carbon metabolism was observed. There was up-regulation of a number of enzymes involved in generation of NADH and NADPH, indicating increased cellular demand for both energy and reducing power.« less

  1. Metabolic Adaptation to Muscle Ischemia

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cabrera, Marco E.; Coon, Jennifer E.; Kalhan, Satish C.; Radhakrishnan, Krishnan; Saidel, Gerald M.; Stanley, William C.

    2000-01-01

    Although all tissues in the body can adapt to varying physiological/pathological conditions, muscle is the most adaptable. To understand the significance of cellular events and their role in controlling metabolic adaptations in complex physiological systems, it is necessary to link cellular and system levels by means of mechanistic computational models. The main objective of this work is to improve understanding of the regulation of energy metabolism during skeletal/cardiac muscle ischemia by combining in vivo experiments and quantitative models of metabolism. Our main focus is to investigate factors affecting lactate metabolism (e.g., NADH/NAD) and the inter-regulation between carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism during a reduction in regional blood flow. A mechanistic mathematical model of energy metabolism has been developed to link cellular metabolic processes and their control mechanisms to tissue (skeletal muscle) and organ (heart) physiological responses. We applied this model to simulate the relationship between tissue oxygenation, redox state, and lactate metabolism in skeletal muscle. The model was validated using human data from published occlusion studies. Currently, we are investigating the difference in the responses to sudden vs. gradual onset ischemia in swine by combining in vivo experimental studies with computational models of myocardial energy metabolism during normal and ischemic conditions.

  2. Explaining bathymetric diversity patterns in marine benthic invertebrates and demersal fishes: physiological contributions to adaptation of life at depth.

    PubMed

    Brown, Alastair; Thatje, Sven

    2014-05-01

    Bathymetric biodiversity patterns of marine benthic invertebrates and demersal fishes have been identified in the extant fauna of the deep continental margins. Depth zonation is widespread and evident through a transition between shelf and slope fauna from the shelf break to 1000 m, and a transition between slope and abyssal fauna from 2000 to 3000 m; these transitions are characterised by high species turnover. A unimodal pattern of diversity with depth peaks between 1000 and 3000 m, despite the relatively low area represented by these depths. Zonation is thought to result from the colonisation of the deep sea by shallow-water organisms following multiple mass extinction events throughout the Phanerozoic. The effects of low temperature and high pressure act across hierarchical levels of biological organisation and appear sufficient to limit the distributions of such shallow-water species. Hydrostatic pressures of bathyal depths have consistently been identified experimentally as the maximum tolerated by shallow-water and upper bathyal benthic invertebrates at in situ temperatures, and adaptation appears required for passage to deeper water in both benthic invertebrates and demersal fishes. Together, this suggests that a hyperbaric and thermal physiological bottleneck at bathyal depths contributes to bathymetric zonation. The peak of the unimodal diversity-depth pattern typically occurs at these depths even though the area represented by these depths is relatively low. Although it is recognised that, over long evolutionary time scales, shallow-water diversity patterns are driven by speciation, little consideration has been given to the potential implications for species distribution patterns with depth. Molecular and morphological evidence indicates that cool bathyal waters are the primary site of adaptive radiation in the deep sea, and we hypothesise that bathymetric variation in speciation rates could drive the unimodal diversity-depth pattern over time. Thermal

  3. Graduate Medical Education Funding and Curriculum in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: A Survey of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department Chairs.

    PubMed

    Perret, Danielle; Knowlton, Tiffany; Worsowicz, Gregory

    2018-03-01

    This national survey highlights graduate medical education funding sources for physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) residency programs as well as perceived funding stability, alignment of the current funding and educational model, the need of further education in postacute care settings, and the practice of contemporary PM&R graduates as perceived by PM&R department/division chairs. Approximately half of the reported PM&R residency positions seem to be funded by Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services; more than 40% of PM&R chairs believe that their residency program is undersized and nearly a quarter feel at risk for losing positions. A total of 30% of respondents report PM&R resident experiences in home health, 15% in long-term acute care, and 52.5% in a skilled nursing facility/subacute rehabilitation facility. In programs that do not offer these experiences, most chairs feel that this training should be included. In addition, study results suggest that most PM&R graduates work in an outpatient setting. Based on the results that chairs strongly feel the need for resident education in postacute care settings and that most graduates go on to practice in outpatient settings, there is a potential discordance for our current Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services graduate medical education funding model being linked to the acute care setting.

  4. Habitual reappraisal in context: peer victimisation moderates its association with physiological reactivity to social stress.

    PubMed

    Christensen, Kara A; Aldao, Amelia; Sheridan, Margaret A; McLaughlin, Katie A

    2017-02-01

    Although the emotion regulation strategy of reappraisal has been associated with adaptive outcomes, there is a growing evidence that it may not be adaptive in all contexts. In the present study, adolescents reported their use of habitual reappraisal and their experiences with peer victimisation, a chronic stressor that is associated with reduced well-being in this population. We examined how these variables predicted physiological reactivity (vagal withdrawal and changes in pre-ejection period) during a social stressor (i.e., Trier Social Stress Task). In line with previous research, at high levels of victimisation, habitual reappraisal predicted adaptive physiological reactivity (i.e., greater vagal withdrawal). Conversely, at low levels of victimisation, habitual reappraisal predicted maladaptive physiological reactivity (i.e., blunted vagal withdrawal). These findings were specific to parasympathetic reactivity. They suggest that habitual reappraisal may exert different effects on parasympathetic reactivity depending on the presence of stressors, and highlight the importance of examining the role of contextual factors in determining the adaptiveness of emotion regulation strategies.

  5. Habitual reappraisal in context: peer victimisation moderates its association with physiological reactivity to social stress

    PubMed Central

    Christensen, Kara A.; Aldao, Amelia; Sheridan, Margaret A.; McLaughlin, Katie A.

    2016-01-01

    Although the emotion regulation strategy of reappraisal has been associated with adaptive outcomes, there is a growing evidence that it may not be adaptive in all contexts. In the present study, adolescents reported their use of habitual reappraisal and their experiences with peer victimisation, a chronic stressor that is associated with reduced well-being in this population. We examined how these variables predicted physiological reactivity (vagal withdrawal and changes in pre-ejection period) during a social stressor (i.e., Trier Social Stress Task). In line with previous research, at high levels of victimisation, habitual reappraisal predicted adaptive physiological reactivity (i.e., greater vagal withdrawal). Conversely, at low levels of victimisation, habitual reappraisal predicted maladaptive physiological reactivity (i.e., blunted vagal withdrawal). These findings were specific to parasympathetic reactivity. They suggest that habitual reappraisal may exert different effects on parasympathetic reactivity depending on the presence of stressors, and highlight the importance of examining the role of contextual factors in determining the adaptiveness of emotion regulation strategies. PMID:26654477

  6. Conflicts of thermal adaptation and fever--a cybernetic approach based on physiological experiments.

    PubMed

    Werner, J; Beckmann, U

    1998-01-01

    Cold adaptation aims primarily at a better economy, i.e., preservation of energy often at the cost of a lower mean body temperature during cold stress, whereas heat adaptation whether achieved by exposure to a hot environment or by endogenous heat produced by muscle exercise, often brings about a higher efficiency of control, i.e., a lower mean body temperature during heat stress, at the cost of a higher water loss. While cold adaptation is beneficial in a cold environment, it may constitute a detrimental factor for exposure to a hot environment, mainly because of morphological adaptation. Heat adaptation may be maladaptive for cold exposure, mainly because of functional adaptation. Heat adaptation clearly is best suited to avoid higher body temperatures in fever, no matter which environmental conditions prevail. On the other hand, cold adaptation is detrimental for coping with fever in hot environment. Yet, in the cold, preceding cold adaptation may, because of reduced metabolic heat production, result in lower febrile increase of body temperature. Apparently controversial effects and results may be analyzed in the framework of a cybernetic approach to the main mechanisms of thermal adaptation and fever. Morphological adaptations alter the properties of the heat transfer characteristics of the body ("passive system"), whereas functional adaptation and fever concern the subsystems of control, namely sensors, integrative centers and effectors. In a closed control-loop the two types of adaptation have totally different consequences. It is shown that the experimental results are consistent with the predictions of such an approach.

  7. A zero phase adaptive fuzzy Kalman filter for physiological tremor suppression in robotically assisted minimally invasive surgery.

    PubMed

    Sang, Hongqiang; Yang, Chenghao; Liu, Fen; Yun, Jintian; Jin, Guoguang; Chen, Fa

    2016-12-01

    Hand physiological tremor of surgeons can cause vibration at the surgical instrument tip, which may make it difficult for the surgeon to perform fine manipulations of tissue, needles, and sutures. A zero phase adaptive fuzzy Kalman filter (ZPAFKF) is proposed to suppress hand tremor and vibration of a robotic surgical system. The involuntary motion can be reduced by adding a compensating signal that has the same magnitude and frequency but opposite phase with the tremor signal. Simulations and experiments using different filters were performed. Results show that the proposed filter can avoid the loss of useful motion information and time delay, and better suppress minor and varying tremor. The ZPAFKF can provide less error, preferred accuracy, better tremor estimation, and more desirable compensation performance, to suppress hand tremor and decrease vibration at the surgical instrument tip. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  8. Designing and Building a Cardboard Chair: Children's Engineering at the TECA Eastern Regional Conference

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Linnell, Charles C.

    2007-01-01

    This article describes the 2006 Technology Education Collegiate Association (TECA) Eastern Regional elementary competition, wherein teams of technology education students from nine different universities designed and built cardboard chairs. The competition required the teams (four or five to a team) from universities up and down the East Coast to…

  9. A replicated field intervention study evaluating the impact of a highly adjustable chair and office ergonomics training on visual symptoms☆

    PubMed Central

    Menéndez, Cammie Chaumont; Amick, Benjamin C.; Robertson, Michelle; Bazzani, Lianna; DeRango, Kelly; Rooney, Ted; Moore, Anne

    2016-01-01

    Objective Examine the effects of two office ergonomics interventions in reducing visual symptoms at a private sector worksite. Methods A quasi-experimental study design evaluated the effects of a highly adjustable chair with office ergonomics training intervention (CWT group) and the training only (TO group) compared with no intervention (CO group). Data collection occurred 2 and 1 month(s) pre-intervention and 2, 6 and 12 months post-intervention. During each data collection period, a work environment and health questionnaire (covariates) and daily health diary (outcomes) were completed. Multilevel statistical models tested hypotheses. Results Both the training only intervention (p < 0.001) and the chair with training intervention (p = 0.01) reduced visual symptoms after 12 months. Conclusion The office ergonomics training alone and coupled with a highly adjustable chair reduced visual symptoms. In replicating results from a public sector worksite at a private sector worksite the external validity of the interventions is strengthened, thus broadening its generalizability. PMID:22030069

  10. A replicated field intervention study evaluating the impact of a highly adjustable chair and office ergonomics training on visual symptoms.

    PubMed

    Menéndez, Cammie Chaumont; Amick, Benjamin C; Robertson, Michelle; Bazzani, Lianna; DeRango, Kelly; Rooney, Ted; Moore, Anne

    2012-07-01

    Examine the effects of two office ergonomics interventions in reducing visual symptoms at a private sector worksite. A quasi-experimental study design evaluated the effects of a highly adjustable chair with office ergonomics training intervention (CWT group) and the training only (TO group) compared with no intervention (CO group). Data collection occurred 2 and 1 month(s) pre-intervention and 2, 6 and 12 months post-intervention. During each data collection period, a work environment and health questionnaire (covariates) and daily health diary (outcomes) were completed. Multilevel statistical models tested hypotheses. Both the training only intervention (p<0.001) and the chair with training intervention (p=0.01) reduced visual symptoms after 12 months. The office ergonomics training alone and coupled with a highly adjustable chair reduced visual symptoms. In replicating results from a public sector worksite at a private sector worksite the external validity of the interventions is strengthened, thus broadening its generalizability. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  11. DOE Chair of Excellence Professorship in Environmental Disciplines

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

    Shoou-Yuh Chang

    2013-01-31

    The United States (US) nuclear weapons program during the Cold War left a legacy of radioactive, hazardous, chemical wastes and facilities that may seriously harm the environment and people even today. Widespread public concern about the environmental pollution has created an extraordinary demand for the treatment and disposal of wastes in a manner to protect the public health and safety. The pollution abatement and environmental protection require an understanding of technical, regulatory, economic, permitting, institutional, and public policy issues. Scientists and engineers have a major role in this national effort to clean our environment, especially in developing alternative solutions andmore » evaluation criteria and designing the necessary facilities to implement the solutions. The objective of the DOE Chair of Excellence project is to develop a high quality educational and research program in environmental engineering at North Carolina A&T State University (A&T). This project aims to increase the number of graduate and undergraduate students trained in environmental areas while developing a faculty concentrated in environmental education and research. Although A&T had a well developed environmental program prior to the Massie Chair grant, A&T's goal is to become a model of excellence in environmental engineering through the program's support. The program will provide a catalyst to enhance collaboration of faculty and students among various engineering departments to work together in a focus research area. The collaboration will be expanded to other programs at A&T. The past research focus areas include: hazardous and radioactive waste treatment and disposal fate and transport of hazardous chemicals in the environment innovative technologies for hazardous waste site remediation pollution prevention Starting from 2005, the new research focus was in the improvement of accuracy for radioactive contaminant transport models by ensemble based data assimilation

  12. Physiology of Mycobacteria

    PubMed Central

    Cook, Gregory M.; Berney, Michael; Gebhard, Susanne; Heinemann, Matthias; Cox, Robert A.; Danilchanka, Olga; Niederweis, Michael

    2013-01-01

    Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a prototrophic, metabolically flexible bacterium that has achieved a spread in the human population that is unmatched by any other bacterial pathogen. The success of M. tuberculosis as a pathogen can be attributed to its extraordinary stealth and capacity to adapt to environmental changes throughout the course of infection. These changes include: nutrient deprivation, hypoxia, various exogenous stress conditions and, in the case of the pathogenic species, the intraphagosomal environment. Knowledge of the physiology of M. tuberculosis during this process has been limited by the slow growth of the bacterium in the laboratory and other technical problems such as cell aggregation. Advances in genomics and molecular methods to analyse the M. tuberculosis genome have revealed that adaptive changes are mediated by complex regulatory networks and signals, resulting in temporal gene expression coupled to metabolic and energetic changes. An important goal for bacterial physiologists will be to elucidate the physiology of M. tuberculosis during the transition between the diverse conditions encountered by M. tuberculosis. This review covers the growth of the mycobacterial cell and how environmental stimuli are sensed by this bacterium. Adaptation to different environments is described from the viewpoint of nutrient acquisition, energy generation and regulation. To gain quantitative understanding of mycobacterial physiology will require a systems biology approach and recent efforts in this area are discussed. “It is now 100 years since the first mycobacterium was isolated by Hansen (1874). Somewhat ironically, this was the leprosy bacillus, Mycobacterium leprae, which even today is still resisting all attempts to cultivate it in the laboratory. The tubercle bacillus, M. tuberculosis was not discovered until eight years later (Koch, 1882) and this has remained an object of intensive investigation ever since. The widespread interest in the

  13. Integrated Physiological Mechanisms of Exercise Performance, Adaptation, and Maladaptation to Heat Stress

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-10-01

    performance. We discuss novel systemic (heat acclimation) and cellular ( acquired thermal tolerance) adaptations that improve performance in hot and...cellular ( acquired thermal tolerance) adaptations that improve perfor- mance in hot and temperate environments and protect organs from heat stroke as...performance; (iii) newly identified adaptations associated with heat accli- mation/ acquired thermal tolerance that impact exercise-heat tolerance; (iv

  14. Human whole body cold adaptation.

    PubMed

    Daanen, Hein A M; Van Marken Lichtenbelt, Wouter D

    2016-01-01

    Reviews on whole body human cold adaptation generally do not distinguish between population studies and dedicated acclimation studies, leading to confusing results. Population studies show that indigenous black Africans have reduced shivering thermogenesis in the cold and poor cold induced vasodilation in fingers and toes compared to Caucasians and Inuit. About 40,000 y after humans left Africa, natives in cold terrestrial areas seems to have developed not only behavioral adaptations, but also physiological adaptations to cold. Dedicated studies show that repeated whole body exposure of individual volunteers, mainly Caucasians, to severe cold results in reduced cold sensation but no major physiological changes. Repeated cold water immersion seems to slightly reduce metabolic heat production, while repeated exposure to milder cold conditions shows some increase in metabolic heat production, in particular non-shivering thermogenesis. In conclusion, human cold adaptation in the form of increased metabolism and insulation seems to have occurred during recent evolution in populations, but cannot be developed during a lifetime in cold conditions as encountered in temperate and arctic regions. Therefore, we mainly depend on our behavioral skills to live in and survive the cold.

  15. Human whole body cold adaptation

    PubMed Central

    Daanen, Hein A.M.; Van Marken Lichtenbelt, Wouter D.

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Reviews on whole body human cold adaptation generally do not distinguish between population studies and dedicated acclimation studies, leading to confusing results. Population studies show that indigenous black Africans have reduced shivering thermogenesis in the cold and poor cold induced vasodilation in fingers and toes compared to Caucasians and Inuit. About 40,000 y after humans left Africa, natives in cold terrestrial areas seems to have developed not only behavioral adaptations, but also physiological adaptations to cold. Dedicated studies show that repeated whole body exposure of individual volunteers, mainly Caucasians, to severe cold results in reduced cold sensation but no major physiological changes. Repeated cold water immersion seems to slightly reduce metabolic heat production, while repeated exposure to milder cold conditions shows some increase in metabolic heat production, in particular non-shivering thermogenesis. In conclusion, human cold adaptation in the form of increased metabolism and insulation seems to have occurred during recent evolution in populations, but cannot be developed during a lifetime in cold conditions as encountered in temperate and arctic regions. Therefore, we mainly depend on our behavioral skills to live in and survive the cold. PMID:27227100

  16. Different Brain Responses to Pain and Its Expectation in the Dental Chair.

    PubMed

    Racek, A J; Hu, X; Nascimento, T D; Bender, M C; Khatib, L; Chiego, D; Holland, G R; Bauer, P; McDonald, N; Ellwood, R P; DaSilva, A F

    2015-07-01

    A dental appointment commonly prompts fear of a painful experience, yet we have never fully understood how our brains react to the expectation of imminent tooth pain once in a dental chair. In our study, 21 patients with hypersensitive teeth were tested using nonpainful and painful stimuli in a clinical setting. Subjects were tested in a dental chair using functional near-infrared spectroscopy to measure cortical activity during a stepwise cold stimulation of a hypersensitive tooth, as well as nonpainful control stimulation on the same tooth. Patients' sensory-discriminative and emotional-cognitive cortical regions were studied through the transition of a neutral to a painful stimulation. In the putative somatosensory cortex contralateral to the stimulus, 2 well-defined hemodynamic peaks were detected in the homuncular orofacial region: the first peak during the nonpainful phase and a second peak after the pain threshold was reached. Moreover, in the upper-left and lower-right prefrontal cortices, there was a significant active hemodynamic response in only the first phase, before the pain. Subsequently, the same prefrontal cortical areas deactivated after a painful experience had been reached. Our study indicates for the first time that pain perception and expectation elicit different hemodynamic cortical responses in a dental clinical setting. © International & American Associations for Dental Research 2015.

  17. Regulatory physiology discipline science plan

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1991-01-01

    The focus of the Regulatory Physiology discipline of the Space Physiology and Countermeasures Program is twofold. First, to determine and study how microgravity and associated factors of space flight affect the regulatory mechanisms by which humans adapt and achieve homeostasis and thereby regulate their ability to respond to internal and external signals; and, second, to study selected physiological systems that have been demonstrated to be influenced by gravity. The Regulatory Physiology discipline, as defined here, is composed of seven subdisciplines: (1) Circadian Rhythms, (2) Endocrinology, (3) Fluid and Electrolyte Regulation, (4) Hematology, (5) Immunology, (6) Metabolism and Nutrition, and (7) Temperature Regulation. The purpose of this Discipline Science Plan is to provide a conceptual strategy for NASA's Life Sciences Division research and development activities in the area of regulatory physiology. It covers the research areas critical to NASA's programmatic requirements for the Extended-Duration Orbiter, Space Station Freedom, and exploration mission science activities. These science activities include ground-based and flight; basic, applied, and operational; and animal and human research and development. This document summarizes the current status of the program, outlines available knowledge, establishes goals and objectives, identifies science priorities, and defines critical questions in regulatory physiology. It contains a general plan that will be used by both NASA Headquarters Program Offices and the field centers to review and plan basic, applied, and operational intramural and extramural research and development activities in this area.

  18. How can the study of physiological reactivity contribute to our understanding of adversity and resilience processes in development?

    PubMed

    Obradović, Jelena

    2012-05-01

    The focus of this article is to present current progress in understanding the interplay among adversity, physiological sensitivity to context, and adaptive functioning, with an emphasis on implications and future directions for resilience researchers. It includes a review of current literature that demonstrates (a) links between various levels of adversity exposure and variability in physiological reactivity, (b) how the interplay between children's physiological reactivity and different sources of risk and adversity relates to variability in adaptive functioning, and (c) various approaches for capturing a more dynamic nature of physiological reactivity and related processes. Throughout, important conceptual and empirical issues are highlighted.

  19. Design and rationale of the assessment of proper physiologic response with rate adaptive pacing driven by minute ventilation or accelerometer (APPROPRIATE) trial.

    PubMed

    Gilliam, F Roosevelt; Giudici, Michael; Benn, Andrew; Koplan, Bruce; Berg, Kellie Jean Chase; Kraus, Stacia Merkel; Stolen, Kira Q; Alvarez, Guy E; Hopper, Donald L; Wilkoff, Bruce L

    2011-02-01

    Rate-adaptive sensors are designed to restore a physiologic heart rate response to activity, in particular for patients that have chronotropic incompetence (CI). Limited data exist comparing two primary types of sensors; an accelerometer (XL) sensor which detects activity or motion and a minute ventilation (MV) sensor, which detects the product of respiration rate and tidal volume. The APPROPRIATE study will evaluate the MV sensor compared with the XL sensor for superiority in improving functional capacity (peak VO(2)) in pacemaker patients that have CI. This study is a double-blind, randomized, two-arm trial that will enroll approximately 1,000 pacemaker patients. Patients will complete a 6-min walk test at the 2-week visit to screen for potential CI. Those projected to have CI will advance to a 1-month visit. At the 1-month visit, final determination of CI will be done by completing a peak exercise treadmill test while the pacemaker is programmed to DDDR with the device sensors set to passive. Patients failing to meet the study criteria for CI will not continue further in the trial. Patients that demonstrate CI will be randomized to program their rate-adaptive sensors to either MV or XL in a 1:1 ratio. The rate-adaptive sensor will be optimized for each patient using a short walk to determine the appropriate response factor. At a 2-month visit, patients will complete a CPX test with the rate-adaptive sensors in their randomized setting.

  20. Key physiological properties contributing to rhizosphere adaptation and plant growth promotion abilities of Azospirillum brasilense.

    PubMed

    Fibach-Paldi, Sharon; Burdman, Saul; Okon, Yaacov

    2012-01-01

    Azospirillum brasilense is a plant growth promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR) that is being increasingly used in agriculture in a commercial scale. Recent research has elucidated key properties of A. brasilense that contribute to its ability to adapt to the rhizosphere habitat and to promote plant growth. They include synthesis of the auxin indole-3-acetic acid, nitric oxide, carotenoids, and a range of cell surface components as well as the ability to undergo phenotypic variation. Storage and utilization of polybetahydroxyalkanoate polymers are important for the shelf life of the bacteria in production of inoculants, products containing bacterial cells in a suitable carrier for agricultural use. Azospirillum brasilense is able to fix nitrogen, but despite some controversy, as judging from most systems evaluated so far, contribution of fixed nitrogen by this bacterium does not seem to play a major role in plant growth promotion. In this review, we focus on recent advances in the understanding of physiological properties of A. brasilense that are important for rhizosphere performance and successful interactions with plant roots. © 2011 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Preliminary results from digestive adaptation: a new surgical proposal for treating obesity, based on physiology and evolution.

    PubMed

    Santoro, Sérgio; Velhote, Manoel Carlos Prieto; Malzoni, Carlos Eduardo; Milleo, Fábio Quirino; Klajner, Sidney; Campos, Fábio Guilherme

    2006-07-06

    Most bariatric surgical techniques include essentially non-physiological features like narrowing anastomoses or bands, or digestive segment exclusion, especially the duodenum. This potentially causes symptoms or complications. The aim here was to report on the preliminary results from a new surgical technique for treating morbid obesity that takes a physiological and evolutionary approach. Case series description, in Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein and Hospital da Polícia Militar, São Paulo, and Hospital Vicentino, Ponta Grossa, Paraná. The technique included vertical (sleeve) gastrectomy, omentectomy and enterectomy that retained three meters of small bowel (initial jejunum and most of the ileum), i.e. the lower limit for normal adults. The operations on 100 patients are described. The mean follow-up was nine months (range: one to 29 months). The mean reductions in body mass index were 4.3, 6.1, 8.1, 10.1 and 10.7 kg/m2, respectively at 1, 2, 4, 6 and 12 months. All patients reported early satiety. There was major improvement in comorbidities, especially diabetes. Operative complications occurred in 7% of patients, all of them resolved without sequelae. There was no mortality. This procedure creates a proportionally reduced gastrointestinal tract, leaving its basic functions unharmed and producing adaptation of the gastric chamber size to hypercaloric diet. It removes the sources of ghrelin, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and resistin production and leads more nutrients to the distal bowel, with desirable metabolic consequences. Patients do not need nutritional support or drug medication. The procedure is straightforward and safe.

  2. The Impact of Sex and Gender on Adaptation to Space: Executive Summary

    PubMed Central

    Mark, Saralyn; Scott, Graham B.I.; Donoviel, Dorit B.; Leveton, Lauren B.; Mahoney, Erin; Charles, John B.

    2014-01-01

    Abstract This review article is a compendium of six individual manuscripts, a Commentary, and an Executive Summary. This body of work is entitled “The Impact of Sex and Gender on Adaptation to Space” and was developed in response to a recommendation from the 2011 National Academy of Sciences Decadal Survey, “Recapturing a Future for Space Exploration: Life and Physical Sciences for a New Era,” which emphasized the need to fully understand sex and gender differences in space. To ensure the health and safety of male and female astronauts during long-duration space missions, it is imperative to examine and understand the influences that sex and gender have on physiological and psychological changes that occur during spaceflight. In this collection of manuscripts, six workgroups investigated and summarized the current body of published and unpublished human and animal research performed to date related to sex- and gender-based differences in the areas of cardiovascular, immunological, sensorimotor, musculoskeletal, reproductive, and behavioral adaptations to human spaceflight. Each workgroup consisted of scientists and clinicians from academia, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and other federal agencies and was co-chaired by one representative from NASA and one from the external scientific community. The workgroups met via telephone and e-mail over 6 months to review literature and data from space- and ground-based studies to identify sex and gender factors affecting crew health. In particular, the Life Sciences Data Archive and the Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health were extensively mined. The groups identified certain sex-related differences that impact the risks and the optimal medical care required by space-faring women and men. It represents innovative research in sex and gender-based biology that impacts those individuals that are at the forefront of space exploration. PMID:25401937

  3. The impact of sex and gender on adaptation to space: executive summary.

    PubMed

    Mark, Saralyn; Scott, Graham B I; Donoviel, Dorit B; Leveton, Lauren B; Mahoney, Erin; Charles, John B; Siegel, Bette

    2014-11-01

    This review article is a compendium of six individual manuscripts, a Commentary, and an Executive Summary. This body of work is entitled "The Impact of Sex and Gender on Adaptation to Space" and was developed in response to a recommendation from the 2011 National Academy of Sciences Decadal Survey, "Recapturing a Future for Space Exploration: Life and Physical Sciences for a New Era," which emphasized the need to fully understand sex and gender differences in space. To ensure the health and safety of male and female astronauts during long-duration space missions, it is imperative to examine and understand the influences that sex and gender have on physiological and psychological changes that occur during spaceflight. In this collection of manuscripts, six workgroups investigated and summarized the current body of published and unpublished human and animal research performed to date related to sex- and gender-based differences in the areas of cardiovascular, immunological, sensorimotor, musculoskeletal, reproductive, and behavioral adaptations to human spaceflight. Each workgroup consisted of scientists and clinicians from academia, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and other federal agencies and was co-chaired by one representative from NASA and one from the external scientific community. The workgroups met via telephone and e-mail over 6 months to review literature and data from space- and ground-based studies to identify sex and gender factors affecting crew health. In particular, the Life Sciences Data Archive and the Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health were extensively mined. The groups identified certain sex-related differences that impact the risks and the optimal medical care required by space-faring women and men. It represents innovative research in sex and gender-based biology that impacts those individuals that are at the forefront of space exploration.

  4. Are pressure measurements effective in the assessment of office chair comfort/discomfort? A review.

    PubMed

    Zemp, Roland; Taylor, William R; Lorenzetti, Silvio

    2015-05-01

    Nowadays, the majority of jobs in the western world involves sitting in an office chair. As a result, a comfortable and supported sitting position is essential for employees. In the literature, various objective methods (e.g. pressure measurements, measurements of posture, EMG etc.) have been used to assess sitting comfort/discomfort, but their validity remains unknown. This review therefore examines the relationship between subjective comfort/discomfort and pressure measurements while sitting in office chairs. The literature search resulted in eight papers that met all our requirements. Four studies identified a relationship between subjective comfort/discomfort and pressure distribution parameters (including correlations of up to r = 0.7 ± 0.13). However, the technique for evaluating subjective comfort/discomfort seems to play an important role on the results achieved, therefore placing their validity into question. The peak pressure on the seat pan, the pressure distribution on the backrest and the pressure pattern changes (seat pan and backrest) all appear to be reliable measures for quantifying comfort or discomfort. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

  5. An empirical study of preferred settings for lumbar support on adjustable office chairs.

    PubMed

    Coleman, N; Hull, B P; Ellitt, G

    1998-04-01

    The preferred settings for lumbar support height and depth of 43 male and 80 female office workers were investigated. All subjects were equipped with identical modern office chairs with foam-padded backrests adjustable in both height and depth. Measurements of lumbar support settings were recorded in the workplace, outside of working hours, on four different occasions, over a 5 week period. Preferred lumbar support height and depth settings extended to both extremes of the adjustment range. The mean preferred height setting was 190 mm above the compressed seat surface. The mean depth setting (horizontal distance from front of seat to lumbar support point) was 387 mm. A regression model examining the effects of standing height, Body Mass Index (BMI) and gender on mean preferred lumbar support height showed a significant relationship between preferred height and BMI. Higher lumbar supports were chosen by subjects with greater BMIs. Gender and standing height were not associated with preferred lumbar support height settings. Preferred lumbar support depth was not significantly associated with standing height, gender or BMI. Older subjects were more likely to readjust their lumbar support from a disrupted position than younger subjects, indicating that older users are more sensitive to the position of their lumbar support. Subjects who reported recent back pain or discomfort that they believed to be associated with their chair or office work were found to set their lumbar support significantly closer to the front of the seat, probably to ensure greater support for their back. Based on the evidence that a high proportion of users do make adjustments to the height and depth of their lumbar support, and the finding that different groups of users, with different physical characteristics, adjust the position of their lumbar support in distinct and predictable ways, the researchers conclude that office chairs with traditional padded fixed-height lumbar supports are unlikely

  6. Chair rise transfer detection and analysis using a pendant sensor: an algorithm for fall risk assessment in older people.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Wei; Regterschot, G Ruben H; Wahle, Fabian; Geraedts, Hilde; Baldus, Heribert; Zijlstra, Wiebren

    2014-01-01

    Falls result in substantial disability, morbidity, and mortality among older people. Early detection of fall risks and timely intervention can prevent falls and injuries due to falls. Simple field tests, such as repeated chair rise, are used in clinical assessment of fall risks in older people. Development of on-body sensors introduces potential beneficial alternatives for traditional clinical methods. In this article, we present a pendant sensor based chair rise detection and analysis algorithm for fall risk assessment in older people. The recall and the precision of the transfer detection were 85% and 87% in standard protocol, and 61% and 89% in daily life activities. Estimation errors of chair rise performance indicators: duration, maximum acceleration, peak power and maximum jerk were tested in over 800 transfers. Median estimation error in transfer peak power ranged from 1.9% to 4.6% in various tests. Among all the performance indicators, maximum acceleration had the lowest median estimation error of 0% and duration had the highest median estimation error of 24% over all tests. The developed algorithm might be feasible for continuous fall risk assessment in older people.

  7. 21 CFR 878.4950 - Manual operating table and accessories and manual operating chair and accessories.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Manual operating table and accessories and manual operating chair and accessories. 878.4950 Section 878.4950 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES...

  8. 21 CFR 878.4950 - Manual operating table and accessories and manual operating chair and accessories.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Manual operating table and accessories and manual operating chair and accessories. 878.4950 Section 878.4950 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES...

  9. 21 CFR 878.4950 - Manual operating table and accessories and manual operating chair and accessories.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Manual operating table and accessories and manual operating chair and accessories. 878.4950 Section 878.4950 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES...

  10. 21 CFR 878.4950 - Manual operating table and accessories and manual operating chair and accessories.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Manual operating table and accessories and manual operating chair and accessories. 878.4950 Section 878.4950 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES...

  11. 21 CFR 878.4950 - Manual operating table and accessories and manual operating chair and accessories.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Manual operating table and accessories and manual operating chair and accessories. 878.4950 Section 878.4950 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES...

  12. Adaptations and mechanisms of human heat acclimation: Applications for competitive athletes and sports.

    PubMed

    Périard, J D; Racinais, S; Sawka, M N

    2015-06-01

    Exercise heat acclimation induces physiological adaptations that improve thermoregulation, attenuate physiological strain, reduce the risk of serious heat illness, and improve aerobic performance in warm-hot environments and potentially in temperate environments. The adaptations include improved sweating, improved skin blood flow, lowered body temperatures, reduced cardiovascular strain, improved fluid balance, altered metabolism, and enhanced cellular protection. The magnitudes of adaptations are determined by the intensity, duration, frequency, and number of heat exposures, as well as the environmental conditions (i.e., dry or humid heat). Evidence is emerging that controlled hyperthermia regimens where a target core temperature is maintained, enable more rapid and complete adaptations relative to the traditional constant work rate exercise heat acclimation regimens. Furthermore, inducing heat acclimation outdoors in a natural field setting may provide more specific adaptations based on direct exposure to the exact environmental and exercise conditions to be encountered during competition. This review initially examines the physiological adaptations associated with heat acclimation induction regimens, and subsequently emphasizes their application to competitive athletes and sports. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Cerebral oxygenation in patients undergoing shoulder surgery in beach chair position: comparing general to regional anesthesia and the impact on neurobehavioral outcome.

    PubMed

    Aguirre, J; Borgeat, A; Trachsel, T; Cobo Del Prado, I; De Andrés, J; Bühler, P

    2014-02-01

    Ischemic brain damage has been reported in healthy patients after beach chair position for surgery due to cerebral hypoperfusion. Near-infrared spectroscopy has been described as a non-invasive, continuous method to monitor cerebral oxygen saturation. However, its impact on neurobehavioral outcome comparing different anesthesia regimens has been poorly described. In this prospective, assessor-blinded study, 90 patients undergoing shoulder surgery in beach chair position following general (G-group, n=45) or regional anesthesia (R-group; n=45) were enrolled to assess the prevalence of cerebral desaturation events comparing anesthesia regimens and their impact on neurobehavioral and neurological outcome. Anesthesiologists were blinded to regional cerebral oxygen saturation values. Baseline data assessed the day before surgery included neurological and neurobehavioral tests, which were repeated the day after surgery. The baseline data for regional cerebral oxygen saturation/bispectral index and invasive blood pressure both at heart and auditory meatus levels were taken prior to anesthesia, 5 min after induction of anesthesia, 5 min after beach chair positioning, after skin incision and thereafter all 20 min until discharge. Patients in the R-group showed significantly less cerebral desaturation events (p<0.001), drops in regional cerebral oxygen saturation values (p<0.001), significantly better neurobehavioral test results the day after surgery (p<0.001) and showed a greater hemodynamic stability in the beach chair position compared to patients in the G-group. The incidence of regional cerebral oxygen desaturations seems to influence the neurobehavioral outcome. Regional anesthesia offers more stable cardiovascular conditions for shoulder surgery in beach chair position influencing neurobehavioral test results at 24h. Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapéutica del Dolor. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  14. The Henry Cecil Ranson McBay Chair in Space Science

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bota, Kofi B.; King, James, Jr.

    1999-01-01

    The goals and objectives of the Henry Cecil Ransom McBay Chair in Space Sciences were to: (1) provide leadership in developing and expanding Space Science curriculum; (2) contribute to the research and education endeavors of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth program; (3) expand opportunities for education and hands-on research in Space and Earth Sciences; (4) enhance scientific and technological literacy at all educational levels and to increase awareness of opportunities in the Space Sciences; and (5) develop a pipeline, starting with high school, of African American students who will develop into a cadre of well-trained scientists with interest in Space Science Research and Development.

  15. Simulation of a Congress at the Chair of Biology II in Bioengineering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Naranjo, A. V.; Reznichenco, V.; López, N.; Hernández, R.; Bajinay, S.

    2007-11-01

    This work has been developed in the Chair of Biology II, the curricular contents of which correspond to Human Anatomy. This subject is taught in the second semester of the second year of studies in Bioengineering. Our main objective is that the students attending the course may integrate the syllabus contents of Anatomy with those of other subjects in the career. Ever since 1998 we have organized a congress named Congreso Intracátedra de Biología II (Intra Chair Congress on Biology II). This is the last assignment in the semester and is compulsory for regular students of the subject. It consists in simulating a scientific congress with international characteristics. The guidelines for the congress are made known to the students at the beginning of the semester. In groups of up to three members, the students must undertake a work that relates aspects of Anatomy with Bioengineering. Students are expected to investigate on diagnostic and/or therapeutic technology in order to write a paper that must be accepted in advance of the event. The presentation of the work must be made through PowerPoint. The originality of the research work done and the wide range of topics selected are surprising. Problems are tackled from the standpoints both of the various medical fields and of bioengineering despite the fact that they are just students of the second year in Bioengineering.

  16. Career development needs of vice chairs for education in departments of surgery.

    PubMed

    Sanfey, Hilary; Boehler, Margaret; Darosa, Debra; Dunnington, Gary L

    2012-01-01

    To identify the career development needs Vice Chair for Education in Surgery Departments (VCESDs). In all, 33 VCESDs were invited to complete an online survey to identify the scope of duties, scholarly activity, job satisfaction, and career development needs. A total of 29/33 (88%) VCESDs responded. Time constraints were the most frequent impediment for MDs vs. PhDs (p < 0.05). Dominant faculty development needs were conducting educational research (2.0 ± 0.78 for MDs, 1.33 ± 0.76 for PhDs), developing resident selection systems (1.68 ± 0.73), and mentorship programs (1.95 ± 0.77) for MDs, and developing teach the teacher programs (1 ± 0), and program performance evaluation systems (1.33 ± 0.76) for PhDs. The skills deemed to be of greatest importance were ability to communicate effectively (1.27 ± 0.55), resolve personnel conflicts (1.32 ± 0.57), and introduce change (1.41 ± 0.59). PhDs revealed a greater need to learn strategies for dealing with disruptive faculty (1.0 ± 0 vs 2.15 ± 0.87). This information will inform the future career development of VCESDs and will assist Department Chairs who wish to recruit and retain VCESDs. Copyright © 2012 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. The effect of Sit 'n' Fit Chair Yoga among community-dwelling older adults with osteoarthritis.

    PubMed

    Park, Juyoung; McCaffrey, Ruth; Newman, David; Cheung, Corjena; Hagen, Dyana

    2014-01-01

    The study measured effects of Sit 'N' Fit Chair Yoga on pain and physical and psychological functioning. A quasi-experimental research design included a yoga intervention group and an attention control group. There was greater improvement in depression and life satisfaction in the yoga group than in the control group.

  18. Influence of Ventilation Strategies and Anesthetic Techniques on Regional Cerebral Oximetry in the Beach Chair Position: A Prospective Interventional Study with a Randomized Comparison of Two Anesthetics.

    PubMed

    Picton, Paul; Dering, Andrew; Alexander, Amir; Neff, Mary; Miller, Bruce S; Shanks, Amy; Housey, Michelle; Mashour, George A

    2015-10-01

    Beach chair positioning during general anesthesia is associated with cerebral oxygen desaturation. Changes in cerebral oxygenation resulting from the interaction of inspired oxygen fraction (FIO2), end-tidal carbon dioxide (PETCO2), and anesthetic choice have not been fully evaluated in anesthetized patients in the beach chair position. This is a prospective interventional within-group study of patients undergoing shoulder surgery in the beach chair position that incorporated a randomized comparison between two anesthetics. Fifty-six patients were randomized to receive desflurane or total intravenous anesthesia with propofol. Following induction of anesthesia and positioning, FIO2 and minute ventilation were sequentially adjusted for all patients. Regional cerebral oxygenation (rSO2) was the primary outcome and was recorded at each of five set points. While maintaining FIO2 at 0.3 and PETCO2 at 30 mmHg, there was a decrease in rSO2 from 68% (SD, 12) to 61% (SD, 12) (P < 0.001) following beach chair positioning. The combined interventions of increasing FIO2 to 1.0 and increasing PETCO2 to 45 mmHg resulted in a 14% point improvement in rSO2 to 75% (SD, 12) (P <0.001) for patients anesthetized in the beach chair position. There was no significant interaction effect of the anesthetic at the study intervention points. Increasing FIO2 and PETCO2 resulted in a significant increase in rSO2 that overcomes desaturation in patients anesthetized in the beach chair position and that appears independent of anesthetic choice.

  19. Oxidative stress adaptation with acute, chronic, and repeated stress.

    PubMed

    Pickering, Andrew M; Vojtovich, Lesya; Tower, John; A Davies, Kelvin J

    2013-02-01

    Oxidative stress adaptation, or hormesis, is an important mechanism by which cells and organisms respond to, and cope with, environmental and physiological shifts in the level of oxidative stress. Most studies of oxidative stress adaption have been limited to adaptation induced by acute stress. In contrast, many if not most environmental and physiological stresses are either repeated or chronic. In this study we find that both cultured mammalian cells and the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster are capable of adapting to chronic or repeated stress by upregulating protective systems, such as their proteasomal proteolytic capacity to remove oxidized proteins. Repeated stress adaptation resulted in significant extension of adaptive responses. Repeated stresses must occur at sufficiently long intervals, however (12-h or more for MEF cells and 7 days or more for flies), for adaptation to be successful, and the levels of both repeated and chronic stress must be lower than is optimal for adaptation to acute stress. Regrettably, regimens of adaptation to both repeated and chronic stress that were successful for short-term survival in Drosophila nevertheless also caused significant reductions in life span for the flies. Thus, although both repeated and chronic stress can be tolerated, they may result in a shorter life. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Walking the Tightrope: The Balance between Innovation and Leadership. Proceedings of the Annual International Conference of the Chair Academy (6th, Reno, NV, February 12-15, 1997).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Community Coll. Chair Academy, Mesa, AZ.

    The papers provided in this proceedings discuss the roles and responsibilities of chairs, deans, and other organizational leaders at community colleges, focusing on strategies for balancing innovative educational approaches with traditional leadership. Following background material on the Chair Academy, the following three keynote speeches are…

  1. [Pregnancy in the context of general adaptation syndrome].

    PubMed

    Gur'ianov, V A; Pyregov, A V; Tolmachev, G N; Volodin, A V

    2007-01-01

    Based on their own findings and the data available in the literature on pregnancy including that complicated by gestosis, the authors consider these conditions in the context of Selye's general adaptation syndrome. They identify its basic links (the autonomic nervous and cardiovascular systems) the function of which is affected by all the physiological and pathophysiological processes involved in its development. There is a high likelihood of baseline impaired adaption processes in these links, which may lead to an inability to accommodate (dysadaptation) by the moment of delivery. The paper gives the current interpretation of functional disorders, called Zangemeister'a triad in 1913, from the present-day points of view of the evaluation of pregnancy as the systemic inflammatory response syndrome and, probably, adaptation disease. Based on the results of analyzing the data available in the literature, the authors indicate physiologically the basic trends in the modulation of impaired development processes of the general adaptation syndrome towards the completion of pregnancy and surgical delivery.

  2. Physiological and Proteomic Adaptation of the Alpine Grass Stipa purpurea to a Drought Gradient

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Yunqiang; Dong, Chao; Yang, Shihai; Li, Xiong; Sun, Xudong; Yang, Yongping

    2015-01-01

    Stipa purpurea, an endemic forage species on the Tibetan Plateau, is highly resistant to cold and drought, but the mechanisms underlying its responses to drought stress remain elusive. An understanding of such mechanisms may be useful for developing cultivars that are adaptable to water deficit. In this study, we analyzed the physiological and proteomic responses of S. purpurea under increasing drought stress. Seedlings of S. purpurea were subjected to a drought gradient in a controlled experiment, and proteins showing changes in abundance under these conditions were identified by two-dimensional electrophoresis followed by mass spectrometry analysis. A western blotting analysis was conducted to confirm the increased abundance of a heat-shock protein, NCED2, and a dehydrin in S. purpurea seedlings under drought conditions. We detected carbonylated proteins to identify oxidation-sensitive proteins in S. purpurea seedlings, and found that ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase (RuBisCO) was one of the oxidation-sensitive proteins under drought. Together, these results indicated drought stress might inhibit photosynthesis in S. purpurea by oxidizing RuBisCO, but the plants were able to maintain photosynthetic efficiency by a compensatory upregulation of unoxidized RuBisCO and other photosynthesis-related proteins. Further analyses confirmed that increased abundance of antioxidant enzymes could balance the redox status of the plants to mitigate drought-induced oxidative damage. PMID:25646623

  3. Lung evolution as a cipher for physiology

    PubMed Central

    Torday, J. S.; Rehan, V. K.

    2009-01-01

    In the postgenomic era, we need an algorithm to readily translate genes into physiologic principles. The failure to advance biomedicine is due to the false hope raised in the wake of the Human Genome Project (HGP) by the promise of systems biology as a ready means of reconstructing physiology from genes. like the atom in physics, the cell, not the gene, is the smallest completely functional unit of biology. Trying to reassemble gene regulatory networks without accounting for this fundamental feature of evolution will result in a genomic atlas, but not an algorithm for functional genomics. For example, the evolution of the lung can be “deconvoluted” by applying cell-cell communication mechanisms to all aspects of lung biology development, homeostasis, and regeneration/repair. Gene regulatory networks common to these processes predict ontogeny, phylogeny, and the disease-related consequences of failed signaling. This algorithm elucidates characteristics of vertebrate physiology as a cascade of emergent and contingent cellular adaptational responses. By reducing complex physiological traits to gene regulatory networks and arranging them hierarchically in a self-organizing map, like the periodic table of elements in physics, the first principles of physiology will emerge. PMID:19366785

  4. Evaluating Design Enhancements to the Tablet Arm Chair in Language Instruction Classes at UNC Chapel Hill

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henshaw, Robert Griffith; Reubens, Andrea

    2014-01-01

    Higher education institutions are increasingly interested in cost-effective classroom furniture solutions that support diverse teaching methods by facilitating movement between lecture and interactive instructional methods such as small group work. Several furniture manufacturers are exploring designs based on the traditional tablet arm chair. A…

  5. How Academic Department Chairs View the Influence of Corporate Ethics Scandals on Ethics Education in Arizona Business Schools: A Qualitative Case Study at the Postsecondary Level

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gillis, Robert James

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore how department chairs described the influence of recent corporate ethics scandals on content and availability of ethics education in postsecondary business schools in Arizona. The following research questions guided this study: RQ1: How do department chairs describe the influence of…

  6. Spectral analysis and quantum chemical studies of chair and twist-boat conformers of cycloheximide in gas and solution phases

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tokatli, A.; Ucun, F.; Sütçü, K.; Osmanoğlu, Y. E.; Osmanoğlu, Ş.

    2018-02-01

    In this study the conformational behavior of cycloheximide in the gas and solution (CHCl3) phases has theoretically been investigated by spectroscopic and quantum chemical properties using density functional theory (wB97X-D) method with 6-31++G(d,p) basis set, for the first time. The calculated IR results reveal that in the ground state the molecule exits as a mixture of the chair and twist-boat conformers in the gas phase, while the calculated NMR results reveal that it only exits as the chair conformer in the solution phase. In order to obtain the contributions coming from intramolecular interactions to the stability of the conformers in the gas and solution phases, the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM), noncovalent interactions (NCI) method, and natural bond orbital analysis (NBO) have been employed. The QTAIM and NCI methods indicated that by intramolecular interactions with bond critical point (BCP) the twist-boat conformer is more stabilized than the chair conformer, while by steric interactions it is more destabilized. Considering that these interactions balance each other, the stabilities of the conformers are understood to be dictated by the van der Waals interactions. The NBO analyses show that the hyperconjugative and steric effects play an important role in the stabilization in the gas and solution phases. Furthermore, to get a better understanding of the chemical behavior of this important antibiotic drug we have evaluated and, commented the global and local reactivity descriptors of the both conformers. Finally, the EPR analysis of γ-irradiated cycloheximide has been done. The comparison of the experimental and calculated data have showed the inducement of a radical structure of (CH2)2ĊCH2 in the molecule. The experimental EPR spectrum has also confirmed that the molecule simultaneously exists in the chair and twist-boat conformers in the solid phase.

  7. The Adaptive Brain: Glenn Hatton and the Supraoptic Nucleus

    PubMed Central

    Leng, G.; Moos, F. C.; Armstrong, W. E.

    2017-01-01

    In December 2009, Glenn Hatton died, and neuroendocrinology lost a pioneer who had done much to forge our present understanding of the hypothalamus and whose productivity had not faded with the passing years. Glenn, an expert in both functional morphology and electrophysiology, was driven by a will to understand the significance of his observations in the context of the living, behaving organism. He also had the wit to generate bold and challenging hypotheses, the wherewithal to expose them to critical and elegant experimental testing, and a way with words that gave his papers and lectures clarity and eloquence. The hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system offered a host of opportunities for understanding how physiological functions are fulfilled by the electrical activity of neurones, how neuronal behaviour changes with changing physiological states, and how morphological changes contribute to the physiological response. In the vision that Glenn developed over 35 years, the neuroendocrine brain is as dynamic in structure as it is adaptable in function. Its adaptability is reflected not only by mere synaptic plasticity, but also by changes in neuronal morphology and in the morphology of the glial cells. Astrocytes, in Glenn’s view, were intimate partners of the neurones, partners with an essential role in adaptation to changing physiological demands. PMID:20298459

  8. A Chemosensory Adaptation Module for the Physiology Laboratory from Student-Directed "C. elegans" Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lindblom, Tim

    2006-01-01

    The model organism, "Caenorhabditis elegans," in addition to being well suited to genetics and cell biology teaching applications, can also be useful in the physiology laboratory. In this article, the author describes how students in a junior level college Comparative Physiology course have made use of "C. elegans" in semester-long,…

  9. Chair-side preventive interventions in the Public Dental Service in Norway.

    PubMed

    Widström, E; Tillberg, A; Byrkjeflot, L I; Skudutyte-Rysstad, R

    2016-08-26

    Objective and setting In Norway, the Public Dental Service (PDS) caters for the young (<19 years) and smaller numbers of adults, mostly special needs patients. This study surveyed chair-side preventive measures used in the public clinics and compared them with recommendations in evidence-based guidelines in the neighbouring countries.Materials and methods After ethical approval, the regional Chief Dental Officers (CDOs) emailed questionnaires to their local clinics (N = 421) where the most experienced dentist and dental hygienist were asked to respond on behalf of the clinic. Answers were received from 256 clinics (response rate 61%). Altogether, 215 dentists and 166 dental hygienists answered.Results Of the respondents, 26% reported that their clinic had agreed guidelines on preventive treatment to be used by all staff. Oral hygiene and fluoride toothpaste recommendations were considered appropriate. Almost 60% claimed that flossing instructions were given to all children and adolescents and 40% that fluoride varnish was used on all the young. Fissure sealants were used after individual assessment (80%). A third of the respondents claimed that fluoride tablets and fluoride rinse were recommended for all or most children and fluoride rinses for adults, even in addition to regular use of fluoride toothpaste. Dental hygienists used all methods more often than dentists. On adults, preventive measures were more often used on individual assessment. Half (48%) of the respondents were interested in new evidence-based national guidelines on preventive care.Conclusions Chair-side preventive treatment measures were numerous in the well-resourced Norwegian PDS, but partly outdated.

  10. Effects of weightlessness on human fluid and electrolyte physiology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Leach, Carolyn S.; Johnson, Philip C., Jr.

    1991-01-01

    Skylab and Spacelab data on changes occurring in human fluid and electrolyte physiology during the acute and adaptive phases of adaptation to spaceflight are summarized. The combined results for all three Spacelab studies show that hyponatremia developed within 20 h after the onset of weightlessness and continued throughout the flights, and hypokalemia developed by 40 h. Antidiuretic hormone was increased in plasma throughout the flights. Aldosterone decreased by 40 h, but after 7 days it had reached preflight levels.

  11. Assessment of Chair-side Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufacturing Restorations: A Review of the Literature

    PubMed Central

    Baroudi, Kusai; Ibraheem, Shukran Nasser

    2015-01-01

    Background: This paper aimed to evaluate the application of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) technology and the factors that affect the survival of restorations. Materials and Methods: A thorough literature search using PubMed, Medline, Embase, Science Direct, Wiley Online Library and Grey literature were performed from the year 2004 up to June 2014. Only relevant research was considered. Results: The use of chair-side CAD/CAM systems is promising in all dental branches in terms of minimizing time and effort made by dentists, technicians and patients for restoring and maintaining patient oral function and aesthetic, while providing high quality outcome. Conclusion: The way of producing and placing the restorations made with the chair-side CAD/CAM (CEREC and E4D) devices is better than restorations made by conventional laboratory procedures. PMID:25954082

  12. High voltage stable liquid electrolytes for Li 1+ xMn 2O 4/carbon rocking-chair lithium batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guyomard, D.; Tarascon, J. M.

    A high voltage oxidation-resistant electrolyte is required for Li 1+ xMn 2O 4/carbon rocking-chair cells that need to be charged up to a voltage higher than 4.3 V. Many electrolyte compositions have been tested for their ability to resist to high voltages on Li 1+ xMn 2O 4 electrodes and their ability to maintain high ionic conductivity in a wide temperature range. This survey allowed us to select new electrolyte compositions in the system dimethyl carbonate (DMC) + ethylene carbonate (EC) + lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF 6) that are kinetically stable up to almost 5 V versus lithium at 55 °C on Li 1+ xMn 2O 4 electrodes. Low rate potentiostatic experiments, coupled with coulombmetric measurements in the 4.25-5.1 V range, allowed to select the following compositions: (DMC + EC) (1:2) + 1 M LiPF 6 and (DMC + EC) (2:1) + 1.5 M LiPF 6 as the best. These compositions have been used in practical Li 1+ xMn 2O 4/carbon rocking-chair batteries and show better performance in terms of cycle life and self-discharge over a wider temperature range. They are compatible with rocking-chair batteries based on LiCoO 2 and LiNiO 2 as well.

  13. Exciplex and excimer molecular probes: detection of conformational flip in a myo-inositol chair.

    PubMed

    Kadirvel, Manikandan; Arsic, Biljana; Freeman, Sally; Bichenkova, Elena V

    2008-06-07

    2-O-tert-Butyldimethylsilyl-4,6-bis-O-pyrenoyl-myo-inositol-1,3,5-orthoformate (6) and 2-O-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-4-O-[4-(dimethylamino)benzoyl]-6-O-pyrenoyl-myo-inositol-1,3,5-orthoacetate (10) adopt conformationally restricted unstable chairs with five axial substituents. In the symmetrical diester 6, the two pi-stacked pyrenoyl groups are electron acceptor-donor partners, giving a strong intramolecular excimer emission. In the mixed ester 10, the pyrenoyl group is the electron acceptor and the 4-(dimethylamino)benzoyl ester is the electron donor, giving a strong intramolecular exciplex emission. The conformation of the mixed ester 10 was assessed using 1H NMR spectroscopy (1H-NOESY) and computational studies. which showed the minimum inter-centroid distance between the two aromatic systems to be approximately 3.9 A. Upon addition of acid, the orthoformate/orthoacetate trigger in 6 and 10 was cleaved, which caused a switch of the conformation of the myo-inositol ring to the more stable penta-equatorial chair, leading to separation of the aromatic ester groups and loss of excimer and exciplex fluorescence, respectively. This study provides proof of principle for the development of novel fluorescent molecular probes.

  14. The c-ring stoichiometry of ATP synthase is adapted to cell physiological requirements of alkaliphilic Bacillus pseudofirmus OF4

    PubMed Central

    Preiss, Laura; Klyszejko, Adriana L.; Hicks, David B.; Liu, Jun; Fackelmayer, Oliver J.; Yildiz, Özkan; Krulwich, Terry A.; Meier, Thomas

    2013-01-01

    The c-rings of ATP synthases consist of individual c-subunits, all of which harbor a conserved motif of repetitive glycine residues (GxGxGxG) important for tight transmembrane α-helix packing. The c-ring stoichiometry determines the number of ions transferred during enzyme operation and has a direct impact on the ion-to-ATP ratio, a cornerstone parameter of cell bioenergetics. In the extreme alkaliphile Bacillus pseudofirmus OF4, the glycine motif is replaced by AxAxAxA. We performed a structural study on two mutants with alanine-to-glycine changes using atomic force microscopy and X-ray crystallography, and found that mutants form smaller c12 rings compared with the WT c13. The molar growth yields of B. pseudofirmus OF4 cells on malate further revealed that the c12 mutants have a considerably reduced capacity to grow on limiting malate at high pH. Our results demonstrate that the mutant ATP synthases with either c12 or c13 can support ATP synthesis, and also underscore the critical importance of an alanine motif with c13 ring stoichiometry for optimal growth at pH >10. The data indicate a direct connection between the precisely adapted ATP synthase c-ring stoichiometry and its ion-to-ATP ratio on cell physiology, and also demonstrate the bioenergetic challenges and evolutionary adaptation strategies of extremophiles. PMID:23613590

  15. Effectiveness of the "Timed Up and Go" (TUG) and the Chair test as screening tools for geriatric fall risk assessment in the ED.

    PubMed

    Chow, Richard B; Lee, Andre; Kane, Bryan G; Jacoby, Jeanne L; Barraco, Robert D; Dusza, Stephen W; Meyers, Matthew C; Greenberg, Marna Rayl

    2018-06-07

    We sought to evaluate the effectiveness of the "Timed Up and Go" (TUG) and the Chair test as screening tools in the Emergency Department (ED), stratified by sex. This prospective cohort study was conducted at a Level 1 Trauma center. After consent, subjects performed the TUG and the Chair test. Subjects were contacted for phone follow-up and asked to self-report interim falling. Data from 192 subjects were analyzed. At baseline, 71.4% (n = 137) screened positive for increased falls risk based on the TUG evaluation, and 77.1% (n = 148) scored below average on the Chair test. There were no differences by patient sex. By the six-month evaluation 51 (26.6%) study participants reported at least one fall. Females reported a non-significant higher prevalence of falls compared to males (29.7% versus 22.2%, p = 0.24). TUG test had a sensitivity of 70.6% (95% CI: 56.2%-82.5%), a specificity of 28.4% (95% CI: 21.1%-36.6%), a positive predictive (PP) value 26.3% (95% CI: 19.1%-34.5%) and a negative predictive (NP) value of 72.7% (95% CI: 59.0%-83.9%). Similar results were observed with the Chair test. It had a sensitivity of 78.4% (95% CI: 64.7%-88.7%), a specificity of 23.4% (95% CI: 16.7%-31.3%), a PP value 27.0% (95% CI: 20.1%-34.9%) and a NP value of 75.0% (95% CI: 59.7%-86.8%). No significant differences were observed between sexes. There were no sex specific significant differences in TUG or Chair test screening performance. Neither test performed well as a screening tool for future falls in the elderly in the ED setting. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Temperature relations of aerial and aquatic physiological performance in a mid-intertidal limpet Cellana toreuma: adaptation to rapid changes in thermal stress during emersion.

    PubMed

    Huang, Xiongwei; Wang, Tifeng; Ye, Ziwen; Han, Guodong; Dong, Yunwei

    2015-01-01

    The physiological performance of a mid-intertidal limpet Cellana toreuma was determined to study the physiological adaptation of intertidal animals to rapid changes and extreme temperatures during emersion. The relationship between the Arrhenius breakpoint temperature (ABT) and in situ operative body temperature was studied to predict the possible impact of climate change on the species. The temperature coefficient (Q10) of emersed animals was higher than that of submersed animals and the ratio of aerial: aquatic heart rate rose with increasing temperature. The ABTs of submersed and emersed animals were 30.2 and 34.2°C, respectively. The heart rate and levels of molecular biomarkers (hsps, ampkα, ampkβ and sirt1 mRNA) were determined in 48 h simulated semi-diurnal tides. There were no obvious changes of heart rate and gene expression during the transition between emersion and submersion at room temperature, although expressions of hsp70 and hsp90 were induced significantly after thermal stress. These results indicate that C. toreuma can effectively utilize atmospheric oxygen, and the higher Q10 and ABT of emersed animals are adaptations to the rapid change and extreme thermal stress during emersion. However, the in situ operative body temperature frequently exceeds the aerial ABT of C. toreuma, indicating the occurrence of large-scale mortality of C. toreuma in summer, and this species should be sensitive to increasing temperature in the scenario of climate change. © 2014 International Society of Zoological Sciences, Institute of Zoology/Chinese Academy of Sciences and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  17. Character strengths, social anxiety, and physiological stress reactivity.

    PubMed

    Li, Tingting; Duan, Wenjie; Guo, Pengfei

    2017-01-01

    In this paper, the effects of character strengths on the physiological reactivity to social anxiety induced by the Trier Social Stress Task were reported. On the basis of their scores in the Chinese Virtues Questionnaire, 30 college students were assigned to either high- ( n  = 15) or low-character-strength ( n  = 15) groups. Their psychological stress and physiological data across three laboratory stages (namely, baseline, stress exposure, and post-stress) were collected. Results indicated that individuals with high character strengths exhibited rapid cardiovascular recovery from baseline to post-stress even if high- and low-character-strength groups showed similar patterns of cardiovascular arousal in response to the stress at baseline and stress exposure. These results prove that character strengths are stress-defense factors that allow for psychological and physiological adaptation to stress.

  18. A biomechanical and physiological study of office seat and tablet device interaction.

    PubMed

    Weston, Eric; Le, Peter; Marras, William S

    2017-07-01

    Twenty subjects performed typing tasks on a desktop computer and touch-screen tablet in two chairs for an hour each, and the effects of chair, device, and their interactions on each dependent measure were recorded. Biomechanical measures of muscle force, spinal load, and posture were examined, while discomfort was measured via heart rate variability (HRV) and subjective reports. HRV was sensitive enough to differentiate between chair and device interactions. Biomechanically, a lack of seat back mobility forced individuals to maintain an upright seating posture with increased extensor muscle forces and increased spinal compression. Effects were exacerbated by forward flexion upon interaction with a tablet device or by slouching. Office chairs should be designed with both the human and workplace task in mind and allow for reclined postures to off-load the spine. The degree of recline should be limited, however, to prevent decreased lumbar lordosis resulting from posterior hip rotation in highly reclined postures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. 76 FR 35007 - Notice of Issuance of Final Determination Concerning the Country of Origin of Certain Office Chairs

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-06-15

    ... learning environments. The merchandise at issue is the Herman Miller SAYL task chair and the SAYL side... exact size and shape requested by Herman Miller. The TPU mesh is placed in a custom-made machine, which...

  20. Timeline of changes in adaptive physiological responses, at the level of energy expenditure, with progressive weight loss.

    PubMed

    Nymo, Siren; Coutinho, Silvia R; Torgersen, Linn-Christin H; Bomo, Ola J; Haugvaldstad, Ingrid; Truby, Helen; Kulseng, Bård; Martins, Catia

    2018-07-01

    Diet-induced weight loss (WL) is associated with reduced resting and non-resting energy expenditure (EE), driven not only by changes in body composition but also potentially by adaptive thermogenesis (AT). When exactly this happens, during progressive WL, remains unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the timeline of changes in RMR and exercise-induced EE (EIEE), stemming from changes in body composition v. the presence of AT, during WL with a very-low-energy diet (VLED). In all, thirty-one adults (eighteen men) with obesity (BMI: 37 (sem 4·5) kg/m2; age: 43 (sem 10) years) underwent 8 weeks of a VLED, followed by 4 weeks of weight maintenance. Body weight and composition, RMR, net EIEE (10, 25 and 50 W) and AT (for RMR (ATRMR) and EIEE (ATEIEE)) were measured at baseline, day 3 (2 (sem 1) % WL), after 5 and 10 % WL and at weeks 9 (16 (sem 2) %) and 13 (16 (sem 1) %). RMR and fat mass were significantly reduced for the first time at 5 % WL (12 (sem 8) d) (P<0·01 and P<0·001, respectively) and EIEE at 10 % WL (32 (sem 8) d), for all levels of power (P<0·05), and sustained up to week 13. ATRMR was transiently present at 10 % WL (-460 (sem 690) kJ/d, P<0·01). A fall in RMR should be anticipated at ≥5 % WL and a reduction in EIEE at ≥10 % WL. Transient ATRMR can be expected at 10 % WL. These physiological adaptations may make progressive WL difficult and will probably contribute to relapse.

  1. Salinity Tolerance Mechanism of Economic Halophytes From Physiological to Molecular Hierarchy for Improving Food Quality

    PubMed Central

    Xu, Chongzhi; Tang, Xiaoli; Shao, Hongbo; Wang, Hongyan

    2016-01-01

    Soil salinity is becoming the key constraints factor to agricultural production. Therefore, the plant especially the crops possessing capacities of salt tolerance will be of great economic significance. The adaptation or tolerance of plant to salinity stress involves a series of physiological, metabolic and molecular mechanisms. Halophytes are the kind of organisms which acquire special salt tolerance mechanisms to respond to the salt tress and ensure normal growth and development under saline conditions in their lengthy evolutionary adaptation, so understanding how halophytes respond to salinity stress will provide us with methods and tactics to foster and develop salt resistant varieties of crops. The strategies in physiological and molecular level adopted by halophytes are various including the changes in photosynthetic and transpiration rate, the sequestration of Na+ to extracellular or vacuole, the regulation of stomata aperture and stomatal density, the accumulation and synthesis of the phytohormones as well as the relevant gene expression underlying these physiological traits, such as the stress signal transduction, the regulation of the transcription factors, the activation and expression of the transporter genes, the activation or inhibition of the synthetases and so on. This review focuses on the research advances of the regulating mechanisms in halophytes from physiological to molecular, which render the halophytes tolerance and adaption to salinity stress. PMID:27252587

  2. The Cardiovascular Physiology of Sports and Exercise.

    PubMed

    Opondo, Mildred A; Sarma, Satyam; Levine, Benjamin D

    2015-07-01

    Athletes represent the extremes of human performance. Many of their remarkable abilities stem from a cardiovascular system that has adapted to meet the metabolic needs of exercising muscle. A large and compliant heart is a hallmark feature of athletes who engage in highly aerobic events. Despite high fitness levels, athletes may present with symptoms that limit performance. Understanding and dissecting these limitations requires a strong background in sports science and the factors that determine sports capabilities. This article reviews the basic principles of exercise physiology, cardiovascular adaptations unique to the "athlete's heart," and the utility of exercise testing in athletes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. System Theory and Physiological Processes.

    PubMed

    Jones, R W

    1963-05-03

    Engineers and physiologists working together in experimental and theoretical studies predict that the application of system analysis to biological processes will increase understanding of these processes and broaden the base of system theory. Richard W. Jones, professor of electrical engineering at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, and John S. Gray, professor of physiology at Northwestern's Medical School, discuss these developments. Their articles are adapted from addresses delivered in Chicago in November 1962 at the 15th Annual Conference on Engineering in Medicine and Biology.

  4. Mechanisms of β-cell functional adaptation to changes in workload

    PubMed Central

    Wortham, Matthew; Sander, Maike

    2016-01-01

    Insulin secretion must be tightly coupled to nutritional state to maintain blood glucose homeostasis. To this end, pancreatic β-cells sense and respond to changes in metabolic conditions, thereby anticipating insulin demands for a given physiological context. This is achieved in part through adjustments of nutrient metabolism, which is controlled at several levels including allosteric regulation, posttranslational modifications, and altered expression of metabolic enzymes. In this review, we discuss mechanisms of β-cell metabolic and functional adaptation in the context of two physiological states that alter glucose-stimulated insulin secretion: fasting and insulin resistance. We review current knowledge of metabolic changes that occur in the β-cell during adaptation and specifically discuss transcriptional mechanisms that underlie β-cell adaptation. A more comprehensive understanding of how β-cells adapt to changes in nutrient state could identify mechanisms to be co-opted for therapeutically modulating insulin secretion in metabolic disease. PMID:27615135

  5. The Burmese python genome reveals the molecular basis for extreme adaptation in snakes

    PubMed Central

    Castoe, Todd A.; de Koning, A. P. Jason; Hall, Kathryn T.; Card, Daren C.; Schield, Drew R.; Fujita, Matthew K.; Ruggiero, Robert P.; Degner, Jack F.; Daza, Juan M.; Gu, Wanjun; Reyes-Velasco, Jacobo; Shaney, Kyle J.; Castoe, Jill M.; Fox, Samuel E.; Poole, Alex W.; Polanco, Daniel; Dobry, Jason; Vandewege, Michael W.; Li, Qing; Schott, Ryan K.; Kapusta, Aurélie; Minx, Patrick; Feschotte, Cédric; Uetz, Peter; Ray, David A.; Hoffmann, Federico G.; Bogden, Robert; Smith, Eric N.; Chang, Belinda S. W.; Vonk, Freek J.; Casewell, Nicholas R.; Henkel, Christiaan V.; Richardson, Michael K.; Mackessy, Stephen P.; Bronikowski, Anne M.; Yandell, Mark; Warren, Wesley C.; Secor, Stephen M.; Pollock, David D.

    2013-01-01

    Snakes possess many extreme morphological and physiological adaptations. Identification of the molecular basis of these traits can provide novel understanding for vertebrate biology and medicine. Here, we study snake biology using the genome sequence of the Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus), a model of extreme physiological and metabolic adaptation. We compare the python and king cobra genomes along with genomic samples from other snakes and perform transcriptome analysis to gain insights into the extreme phenotypes of the python. We discovered rapid and massive transcriptional responses in multiple organ systems that occur on feeding and coordinate major changes in organ size and function. Intriguingly, the homologs of these genes in humans are associated with metabolism, development, and pathology. We also found that many snake metabolic genes have undergone positive selection, which together with the rapid evolution of mitochondrial proteins, provides evidence for extensive adaptive redesign of snake metabolic pathways. Additional evidence for molecular adaptation and gene family expansions and contractions is associated with major physiological and phenotypic adaptations in snakes; genes involved are related to cell cycle, development, lungs, eyes, heart, intestine, and skeletal structure, including GRB2-associated binding protein 1, SSH, WNT16, and bone morphogenetic protein 7. Finally, changes in repetitive DNA content, guanine-cytosine isochore structure, and nucleotide substitution rates indicate major shifts in the structure and evolution of snake genomes compared with other amniotes. Phenotypic and physiological novelty in snakes seems to be driven by system-wide coordination of protein adaptation, gene expression, and changes in the structure of the genome. PMID:24297902

  6. The Burmese python genome reveals the molecular basis for extreme adaptation in snakes.

    PubMed

    Castoe, Todd A; de Koning, A P Jason; Hall, Kathryn T; Card, Daren C; Schield, Drew R; Fujita, Matthew K; Ruggiero, Robert P; Degner, Jack F; Daza, Juan M; Gu, Wanjun; Reyes-Velasco, Jacobo; Shaney, Kyle J; Castoe, Jill M; Fox, Samuel E; Poole, Alex W; Polanco, Daniel; Dobry, Jason; Vandewege, Michael W; Li, Qing; Schott, Ryan K; Kapusta, Aurélie; Minx, Patrick; Feschotte, Cédric; Uetz, Peter; Ray, David A; Hoffmann, Federico G; Bogden, Robert; Smith, Eric N; Chang, Belinda S W; Vonk, Freek J; Casewell, Nicholas R; Henkel, Christiaan V; Richardson, Michael K; Mackessy, Stephen P; Bronikowski, Anne M; Bronikowsi, Anne M; Yandell, Mark; Warren, Wesley C; Secor, Stephen M; Pollock, David D

    2013-12-17

    Snakes possess many extreme morphological and physiological adaptations. Identification of the molecular basis of these traits can provide novel understanding for vertebrate biology and medicine. Here, we study snake biology using the genome sequence of the Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus), a model of extreme physiological and metabolic adaptation. We compare the python and king cobra genomes along with genomic samples from other snakes and perform transcriptome analysis to gain insights into the extreme phenotypes of the python. We discovered rapid and massive transcriptional responses in multiple organ systems that occur on feeding and coordinate major changes in organ size and function. Intriguingly, the homologs of these genes in humans are associated with metabolism, development, and pathology. We also found that many snake metabolic genes have undergone positive selection, which together with the rapid evolution of mitochondrial proteins, provides evidence for extensive adaptive redesign of snake metabolic pathways. Additional evidence for molecular adaptation and gene family expansions and contractions is associated with major physiological and phenotypic adaptations in snakes; genes involved are related to cell cycle, development, lungs, eyes, heart, intestine, and skeletal structure, including GRB2-associated binding protein 1, SSH, WNT16, and bone morphogenetic protein 7. Finally, changes in repetitive DNA content, guanine-cytosine isochore structure, and nucleotide substitution rates indicate major shifts in the structure and evolution of snake genomes compared with other amniotes. Phenotypic and physiological novelty in snakes seems to be driven by system-wide coordination of protein adaptation, gene expression, and changes in the structure of the genome.

  7. Character strengths, social anxiety, and physiological stress reactivity

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    In this paper, the effects of character strengths on the physiological reactivity to social anxiety induced by the Trier Social Stress Task were reported. On the basis of their scores in the Chinese Virtues Questionnaire, 30 college students were assigned to either high- (n = 15) or low-character-strength (n = 15) groups. Their psychological stress and physiological data across three laboratory stages (namely, baseline, stress exposure, and post-stress) were collected. Results indicated that individuals with high character strengths exhibited rapid cardiovascular recovery from baseline to post-stress even if high- and low-character-strength groups showed similar patterns of cardiovascular arousal in response to the stress at baseline and stress exposure. These results prove that character strengths are stress-defense factors that allow for psychological and physiological adaptation to stress. PMID:28584721

  8. Heat stress and dehydration in adapting for performance: Good, bad, both, or neither?

    PubMed

    Akerman, Ashley Paul; Tipton, Michael; Minson, Christopher T; Cotter, James David

    2016-01-01

    Physiological systems respond acutely to stress to minimize homeostatic disturbance, and typically adapt to chronic stress to enhance tolerance to that or a related stressor. It is legitimate to ask whether dehydration is a valuable stressor in stimulating adaptation per se . While hypoxia has had long-standing interest by athletes and researchers as an ergogenic aid, heat and nutritional stressors have had little interest until the past decade. Heat and dehydration are highly interlinked in their causation and the physiological strain they induce, so their individual roles in adaptation are difficult to delineate. The effectiveness of heat acclimation as an ergogenic aid remains unclear for team sport and endurance athletes despite several recent studies on this topic. Very few studies have examined the potential ergogenic (or ergolytic) adaptations to ecologically-valid dehydration as a stressor in its own right, despite longstanding evidence of relevant fluid-regulatory adaptations from short-term hypohydration. Transient and self-limiting dehydration (e.g., as constrained by thirst), as with most forms of stress, might have a time and a place in physiological or behavioral adaptations independently or by exacerbating other stressors (esp. heat); it cannot be dismissed without the appropriate evidence. The present review did not identify such evidence. Future research should identify how the magnitude and timing of dehydration might augment or interfere with the adaptive processes in behaviorally constrained versus unconstrained humans.

  9. Surveying Academic Radiology Department Chairs Regarding New and Effective Strategies for Medical Student Recruitment.

    PubMed

    Francavilla, Michael L; Arleo, Elizabeth Kagan; Bluth, Edward I; Straus, Christopher M; Reddy, Sravanthi; Recht, Michael P

    2016-12-01

    The number of 4th-year medical student applications to the field of diagnostic radiology has decreased from 2009 to 2015. The purpose of this study was to learn how radiology departments are recruiting medical students. An anonymous online survey hyperlink was distributed to the members of the Society of Chairs of Academic Radiology Departments regarding both innovative and proven recruitment strategies. The results were synthesized with a recently published survey of medical students about factors influencing them to go into radiology. Forty of 126 radiology departments completed the survey. Most felt that radiology exposure and curricula require alteration given recent downward trends in medical student applications. A majority (79%) had changed their outreach to medical students in response to these trends. The responding department chairs felt that interactive learning while on rotation was the most important strategy for recruitment. The presence of a diversity program, dedicated medical school educator, or rotating daily assignment for students did not affect the likelihood of filling residency spots in the main match. Many radiology departments are changing their outreach to medical students to improve recruitment. Effective strategies to focus on include early active outreach by involving students in the radiology department, thereby framing radiologists as clinicians.

  10. Physiological adaptations to fasting in an actively wintering canid, the Arctic blue fox (Alopex lagopus).

    PubMed

    Mustonen, Anne-Mari; Pyykönen, Teija; Puukka, Matti; Asikainen, Juha; Hänninen, Sari; Mononen, Jaakko; Nieminen, Petteri

    2006-01-01

    This study investigated the physiological adaptations to fasting using the farmed blue fox (Alopex lagopus) as a model for the endangered wild arctic fox. Sixteen blue foxes were fed throughout the winter and 32 blue foxes were fasted for 22 d in Nov-Dec 2002. Half of the fasted blue foxes were food-deprived again for 22 d in Jan-Feb 2003. The farmed blue fox lost weight at a slower rate (0.97-1.02% body mass d(-1)) than observed previously in the arctic fox, possibly due to its higher initial body fat content. The animals experienced occasional fasting-induced hypoglycaemia, but their locomotor activity was not affected. The plasma triacylglycerol and glycerol concentrations were elevated during phase II of fasting indicating stimulated lipolysis, probably induced by the high growth hormone concentrations. The total cholesterol, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol, urea, uric acid and total protein levels and the urea:creatinine ratio decreased during fasting. Although the plasma levels of some essential amino acids increased, the blue foxes did not enter phase III of starvation characterized by stimulated proteolysis during either of the 22-d fasting procedures. Instead of excessive protein catabolism, it is liver dysfunction, indicated by the increased plasma bilirubin levels and alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities, that may limit the duration of fasting in the species.

  11. Physiological and psychological stress limits for astronautics Observations during the Skylab I-III missions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Burchard, E. C.

    1975-01-01

    The physiological and psychological factors of manned space flight had a particular significance in the Skylab missions during which astronauts were subjected to a life in a space environment for longer periods of time than on previous space missions. The Skylab missions demonstrated again the great adaptability of human physiology to the environment of man. The results of Skylab have indicated also approaches for enhancing the capability of man to tolerate the physiological and psychological stresses of space flight.

  12. The effects of an office ergonomics training and chair intervention on worker knowledge, behavior and musculoskeletal risk.

    PubMed

    Robertson, Michelle; Amick, Benjamin C; DeRango, Kelly; Rooney, Ted; Bazzani, Lianna; Harrist, Ron; Moore, Anne

    2009-01-01

    A large-scale field intervention study was undertaken to examine the effects of office ergonomics training coupled with a highly adjustable chair on office workers' knowledge and musculoskeletal risks. Office workers were assigned to one of three study groups: a group receiving the training and adjustable chair (n=96), a training-only group (n=63), and a control group (n=57). The office ergonomics training program was created using an instructional systems design model. A pre/post-training knowledge test was administered to all those who attended the training. Body postures and workstation set-ups were observed before and after the intervention. Perceived control over the physical work environment was higher for both intervention groups as compared to workers in the control group. A significant increase in overall ergonomic knowledge was observed for the intervention groups. Both intervention groups exhibited higher level behavioral translation and had lower musculoskeletal risk than the control group.

  13. Utilizing Chair Massage to Address One Woman's Health in Rural Ghana West Africa: a Case Report.

    PubMed

    Meryanos, Cathy J

    2016-12-01

    There is limited access to health care in rural Ghana and virtually no rehabilitative services available. This situation presents a unique opportunity to utilize chair massage in addressing women's health in rural Ghana, particularly when it comes to muscle pain and fatigue from heavy labor. The objective of this case report is to determine the results of chair massage as a strategy to reduce neck, shoulder, and back pain, while increasing range of motion. The patient is a 63-year-old Ghanaian female, who was struck by a public transport van while carrying a 30-50 pound load on her head, two years prior. The accident resulted in a broken right humerus and soft tissue pain. A traditional medicine practitioner set the bone, however there was no post-accident rehabilitation available. At the time of referral, she presented complaints of shoulder, elbow, and wrist pain. In addition, she was unable to raise her right hand to her mouth for food intake. The results of this case report include an increase in range of motion, as well as elimination of pain in the right shoulder, elbow, and hand. Visual assessments showed an approximate increase of ROM within the ranges of 45-65 degrees in the right arm, as well as 10-15 degrees in 4th and 5th fingers. There was also a decrease in muscle hypertonicity in the thoracic and cervical areas, and a profound increase in quality of life for the patient. This case report illustrates how therapeutic chair massage was utilized to address a common health concern for one woman in rural Ghana. It also demonstrates that pre-existing musculoskeletal disorders and pain may be eliminated with massage intervention. Massage therapy may be important to ameliorating certain types of health problems in remote rural villages in low income countries.

  14. Space colonization - Some physiological perspectives

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Winkler, L. H.

    1978-01-01

    Physiological criteria determining the design of the habitat for a space colony with 10,000 people are discussed. Centrifugally generated earth-normal gravity, maximum ionizing radiation dose standards less than or equal to 0.5 rem/year (obtained with passive shielding), and an atmosphere with reduced nitrogen partial pressures were established as design requirements for the habitat. However, further research is needed to determine whether humans experience complete adaptation to weightlessness and whether there are long-term effects of breathing various atmospheric mixtures and pressures.

  15. A field intervention examining the impact of an office ergonomics training and a highly adjustable chair on visual symptoms in a public sector organization

    PubMed Central

    Amick, Benjamin C.; Menéndez, Cammie Chaumont; Bazzani, Lianna; Robertson, Michelle; DeRango, Kelly; Rooney, Ted; Moore, Anne

    2016-01-01

    Objective Examine the effect of a multi-component office ergonomics intervention on visual symptom reductions. Methods Office workers were assigned to either a group receiving a highly adjustable chair with office ergonomics training (CWT), a training-only group (TO) or a control group (C). A work environment and health questionnaire was administered 2 and 1 month(s) pre-intervention and 3, 6, and 12 months post-intervention. Multi-level statistical models tested hypotheses. Results The CWT intervention lowered daily visual symptoms (p < 0.01) post-intervention. The TO group did not significantly differ from the control group. The CWT group differed significantly from the TO group (p = 0.01) post-intervention. Conclusion Workers who received a highly adjustable chair and office ergonomics training had reduced visual symptoms and the effect was maintained through twelve months post-intervention. The lack of a training-only group effect supports implementing training in conjunction with the highly adjustable chair to reduce visual symptoms. PMID:21963250

  16. Alkanols and chlorophenols cause different physiological adaptive responses on the level of cell surface properties and membrane vesicle formation in Pseudomonas putida DOT-T1E.

    PubMed

    Baumgarten, Thomas; Vazquez, José; Bastisch, Christian; Veron, Wilfried; Feuilloley, Marc G J; Nietzsche, Sandor; Wick, Lukas Y; Heipieper, Hermann J

    2012-01-01

    In order to cope with the toxicity imposed by the exposure to environmental hydrocarbons, many bacteria have developed specific adaptive responses such as modifications in the cell envelope. Here we compared the influence of n-alkanols and chlorophenols on the surface properties of the solvent-tolerant bacterium Pseudomonas putida DOT-T1E. In the presence of toxic concentrations of n-alkanols, this strain significantly increased its cell surface charge and hydrophobicity with changes depending on the chain length of the added n-alkanols. The adaptive response occurred within 10 min after the addition of the solvent and was demonstrated to be of physiological nature. Contrary to that, chlorophenols of similar hydrophobicity and potential toxicity as the corresponding alkanols caused only minor effects in the surface properties. To our knowledge, this is the first observation of differences in the cellular adaptive response of bacteria to compound classes of quasi equal hydrophobicity and toxicity. The observed adaptation of the physico-chemical surface properties of strain DOT-T1E to the presence of alkanols was reversible and correlated with changes in the composition of the lipopolysaccharide content of the cells. The reaction is explained by previously described reactions allowing the release of membrane vesicles that was demonstrated for cells affected by 1-octanol and heat shock, whereas no membrane vesicles were released after the addition of chlorophenols.

  17. The physiological adaptations and toxin profiles of the toxic Alexandrium fundyense on the eastern Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea shelves.

    PubMed

    Natsuike, Masafumi; Oikawa, Hiroshi; Matsuno, Kohei; Yamaguchi, Atsushi; Imai, Ichiro

    2017-03-01

    Abundant cyst distributions of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium fundyense (previous A. tamarense north American clade) were recently observed on the north Chukchi Sea shelf and on the eastern Bering Sea shelf, suggesting that A. fundyense is both highly adapted to the local environments in the high latitude areas and might cause toxin contamination of plankton feeders. However, little is known about the physiological characteristics and toxin profiles of A. fundyense in these areas, which are characterized by low water temperatures, weak sunlight, and more or less permanent ice cover during winter. To clarify the physiological characteristics of A. fundyense, the effects of water temperature and light intensity on the vegetative growth and toxin profiles of this species were examined using A. fundyense strains isolated from one sediment sample collected from each area. Using the same sediments samples, seasonal changes of the cyst germination in different water temperatures were investigated. Vegetative cells grew at temperatures as low as 5°C and survived at 1°C under relatively low light intensity. They also grew at moderate water temperatures (10-15°C). Their cysts could germinate at low temperatures (1°C) and have an endogenous dormancy period from late summer to early spring, and warmer water temperatures (5-15°C) increased germination success. These physiological characteristics suggest that A. fundyense in the Chukchi Sea and eastern Bering Sea is adapted to the environments of high latitude areas. In addition, the results suggest that in the study areas A. fundyense has the potential to germinate and grow when water temperatures increase. Cellular toxin amounts of A. fundyense strains from the eastern Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea were ranged from 7.2 to 38.2 fmol cell -1 . These toxin amounts are comparable with A. fundyense strains isolated from other areas where PSP toxin contamination of bivalves occurs. The dominant toxin of the strains isolated

  18. A molecular mechanism of adaptation in an estuarine copepod

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bradley, Brian P.; Lane, Maxine A.; Gonzalez, Carole M.

    The estuarine copepod Eurytemora affinis (Poppe) has been shown to adapt better at the individual (physiological) and population (genetic) level to rapidly cycling environments than to slowly cycling temperatures. In addition, female copepods are physiologically more flexible than males. Three questions arise from these observations. Why is the geographical and seasonal distribution of Eurytemora in estuaries so limited? Why is the genetic variance so high in an organism which is so physiologically flexible? And does the difference between sexes help to explain the maintenance of genetic variance? A mechanism of adaptation which may allow further examination of these questions is the increased synthesis of stress proteins, first identified as heat shock proteins (HSP). The HSPs in the copepod Eurytemora affinis are quantitatively and qualitatively related to stress. Temperature and osmotic stress, for example, induce different sets of proteins. Thus, better understanding the phenomenon may be useful in marine ecology.

  19. A Model System for Studying the Transcriptomic and Physiological Changes Associated with Mammalian Host-Adaptation by Leptospira interrogans Serovar Copenhageni

    PubMed Central

    Caimano, Melissa J.; Sivasankaran, Sathesh K.; Allard, Anna; Hurley, Daniel; Hokamp, Karsten; Grassmann, André A.; Hinton, Jay C. D.; Nally, Jarlath E.

    2014-01-01

    Leptospirosis, an emerging zoonotic disease with worldwide distribution, is caused by spirochetes belonging to the genus Leptospira. More than 500,000 cases of severe leptospirosis are reported annually, with >10% of these being fatal. Leptospires can survive for weeks in suitably moist conditions before encountering a new host. Reservoir hosts, typically rodents, exhibit little to no signs of disease but shed large numbers of organisms in their urine. Transmission occurs when mucosal surfaces or abraded skin come into contact with infected urine or urine-contaminated water or soil. In humans, leptospires can cause a variety of clinical manifestations, ranging from asymptomatic or mild fever to severe icteric (Weil's) disease and pulmonary haemorrhage. Currently, little is known about how Leptospira persist within a reservoir host. Prior in vitro studies have suggested that leptospires alter their transcriptomic and proteomic profiles in response to environmental signals encountered during mammalian infection. However, no study has examined gene expression by leptospires within a mammalian host-adapted state. To obtain a more faithful representation of how leptospires respond to host-derived signals, we used RNA-Seq to compare the transcriptome of L. interrogans cultivated within dialysis membrane chambers (DMCs) implanted into the peritoneal cavities of rats with that of organisms grown in vitro. In addition to determining the relative expression levels of “core” housekeeping genes under both growth conditions, we identified 166 genes that are differentially-expressed by L. interrogans in vivo. Our analyses highlight physiological aspects of host adaptation by leptospires relating to heme uptake and utilization. We also identified 11 novel non-coding transcripts that are candidate small regulatory RNAs. The DMC model provides a facile system for studying the transcriptional and antigenic changes associated with mammalian host-adaption, selection of targets for

  20. The physiological diversity and similarity of ten Quercus species

    Treesearch

    Shi-Jean S. Sung; M.N. Angelov; R.R. Doong; W.R. Harms; Paul P. Kormanik; C.C. Black

    1994-01-01

    Based on anatomical, photosynthetic, and biochemical data, the range of physiological differences and similarities was defined for ten Quercus species. There were no correlations between species' site adaptability, leaf anatomy and photosynthetic rate (A). It is concluded from these data that each oak species must be treated individually when incorporated into...