bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Declaration of Sydney on human death
Authors: Machado C , Korein J , Ferrer Y , Portela L , García M de la C , Chinchilla M , Machado Y , Machado Y , Manero J M
Published: November 2007

On 5 August 1968, publication of the Harvard Committee’s report on the subject of “irreversible coma” established a standard for diagnosing death on neurological grounds. On the same day, the 22nd World Medical Assembly met in Sydney, Australia, and announced the Declaration of Sydney, a pronouncement on death, which is less often quoted because it was overshadowed by the impact of the Harvard Report. To put those events into present-day perspective, the authors reviewed all papers published on this subject and the World Medical Association web page and documents, and corresponded with Dr A G Romualdez, the son of Dr A Z Romualdez. There was vast neurological expertise among some of the Harvard Committee members, leading to a comprehensible and practical clinical description of the brain death syndrome and the way to diagnose it. This landmark account had a global medical and social impact on the issue of human death, which simultaneously lessened reception of the Declaration of Sydney. Nonetheless, the Declaration of Sydney faced the main conceptual and philosophical issues on human death in a bold and forthright manner. This statement differentiated the meaning of death at the cellular and tissue levels from the death of the person. This was a pioneering view on the discussion of human death, published as early as in 1968, that should be recognised by current and future generations.
Metaphors for illness in contemporary media
Authors: Hanne M , Hawken S J
Published: November 2007

Essayist Susan Sontag alerted us more than 20 years ago to the way in which clusters of metaphors attach themselves to our discussion of certain diseases, and the influence these metaphors exert on public attitudes to the diseases themselves and to those who experience them. This study of feature articles on five diseases—avian flu, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and HIV/AIDS—published recently in theNew York Timesreveals distinct patterns of metaphor usage around each. While the metaphors used in relation to the diseases Sontag studied—cancer and HIV/AIDS—have become less emotive and more positively informative, the sensationalist connotations of the metaphor clusters that have formed around two diseases that were not on the agenda for wide public debate in her time—avian flu and diabetes—are hardly congruent with the serious intent of the articles in which they appeared. By contrast, discussion of heart disease involved very limited use of metaphor. The article ends with a call for journalists and medical professionals to become more aware of the impact of the metaphors they use and to collaborate in developing sets of metaphors that are factually informative and enhance communication between doctors and their patients.
Literature and the “good doctor” in Ian McEwan’sSaturday
Authors: Macnaughton J
Published: November 2007

There is widespread acceptance in medical humanities circles that reading is good for doctors and that, in medical educational terms, it is particularly good at making better doctors by widening perspective and developing the sensibilities. Recent recommendations on medical education in the UK have allowed medical students to take courses in literature as a component of their degrees, and some have suggested that this option should be compulsory for all doctors. It is possible, however, that in our eagerness to assert the primacy of a literary education for personal development, we can ignore other routes to enlightened, sensitive doctoring. This paper appraises the instrumental role of a literary education for doctors through an analysis of Ian McEwan’s novelSaturday, which deals with the dramatic events in the day in the life of a neurosurgeon.
Surgical adverse outcomes and patients' evaluation of quality of care: inherent risk or reduced quality of care?
Authors: Marang-van de Mheen P J , van Duijn-Bakker N , Kievit J
Published: November 2007

Background

Previous research has shown that sicker patients are less satisfied with their healthcare, but specific effects of adverse health outcomes have not been investigated. The present study aimed to assess whether patients who experience adverse outcomes, in hospital or after discharge, differ in their evaluation of quality of care compared with patients without adverse outcomes.

Method

Inhospital adverse outcomes were prospectively recorded by surgeons and surgical residents as part of routine care. Four weeks after discharge, patients were interviewed by telephone about the occurrence of post-discharge adverse outcomes, and their overall evaluation of quality of hospital care and specific suggestions for improvements in the healthcare provided.

Results

Of 2145 surgical patients admitted to the Leiden University Medical Center in 2003, 1876 (88%) agreed to be interviewed. Overall evaluation was less favourable by patients who experienced post-discharge adverse outcomes only (average 19% lower). These patients were also more often dissatisfied (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.24 to 3.31) than patients without adverse outcomes, and they more often suggested that improvements were needed in medical care (OR 2.07, 1.45 to 2.95) and that patients were discharged too early (OR 3.26, 1.72 to 6.20). The effect of inhospital adverse outcomes alone was not statistically significant. Patients with both inhospital and post-discharge adverse outcomes also found the quality of care to be lower (on average 33% lower) than patients without adverse outcomes.

Conclusions

Post-discharge adverse outcomes negatively influence patients’ overall evaluation of quality of care and are perceived as being discharged too early, suggesting that patients need better information at discharge.
Identifying the contribution of wild and hatchery Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) to the ocean fishery using otolith microstructure as natural tags
Authors: Barnett-Johnson Rachel , Grimes Churchill B , Royer Chantell F , Donohoe Christopher J
Published: November 2007

Quantifying the contribution of wild (naturally spawned) and hatchery Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) to the mixed-stock ocean fishery is critical to understanding their relative importance to the persistence of salmon stocks. The inability to distinguish hatchery and wild salmon has inhibited the detection of declines or recoveries for many wild populations. By using Chinook salmon of known hatchery and wild origin, we established a baseline for separating these two sources using otolith microstructure. Otoliths of wild salmon contained a distinct exogenous feeding check likely reflecting an abrupt transition in food resources from maternal yolk not experienced by fish reared in hatcheries. Daily growth increments in otoliths from hatchery salmon immediately after the onset of exogenous feeding were wider and more uniform in width than those in wild fish. The discriminant function that we used to distinguish individuals reared in hatcheries or in the wild was robust between years (1999 and 2002), life history stages (juveniles and adults), and geographic regions (California, British Columbia, and Alaska) and classified fish with ~91% accuracy. Results from our mixed-stock model estimated that the contribution of wild fish was 10% ± 6%, indicating hatchery supplementation may be playing a larger role in supporting the central California coastal fishery than previously assumed.
Persistence of plankton in flowing water
Authors: Walks D J
Published: November 2007

Models of river plankton frequently suggest that these passively drifting communities are limited to downstream sections of larger rivers. I examine this hypothesis using a passive drift model for populations in advective environments, followed by a comparison of predicted and observed plankton populations in rivers. Under the scenario of continuous downstream drift, much of the plankton found in rivers is not predicted to occur. However, much of the observed plankton in rivers is explained through the addition of cross-channel flow heterogeneity to the model. Empirical data support the model and predict that many river plankton populations may be drifting downstream at less than 30% of the average rate of downstream flow. Plankton collections in the slower-moving edges of rivers demonstrate densities of up to 240% higher than those in adjacent midchannel flows (p = 0.009). These slow-moving areas are important habitat for river plankton and likely play a large role in planktonic food webs within rivers. These results may help explain why river productivity often decreases as a result of the loss of flow heterogeneity within river channels through human modification to landscapes.
The cost of capturing prey: measuring largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) foraging activity using glycolytic enzymes (lactate dehydrogenase)
Authors: Selch Trevor M , Chipps Steven R
Published: November 2007

We used muscle-derived lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) to measure effects of prey size and vegetation density on anaerobic foraging activity by largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Largemouth bass (240–303 mm total length, TL) were fed bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) prey (range 33–83 mm TL) in laboratory feeding trials. Prey selectivity experiments showed that small bluegills (<50 mm) were strongly preferred (>88%) over larger (>65 mm) individuals. Largemouth bass activity, as indexed by LDH, increased with increasing prey size and was 20% higher in fish feeding on large (mean size = 80 mm) versus small (mean size = 35 mm) bluegill. Bioenergetics modeling revealed that food consumption was appreciably underestimated (29%–34%) for largemouth bass foraging on large bluegills (65 and 80 mm), implying that activity costs vary with prey size, consistent with LDH measurements. In contrast to prey size, vegetation density had little effect on anaerobic energy expenditure of largemouth bass. For two size groups of largemouth bass (mean = 244 and 316 mm) foraging on 50 mm bluegill, mean LDH activity was similar across simulated vegetation densities ranging from 70 to 350 stems·m–2. These findings highlight the importance of prey size on foraging costs by piscivores and the difficulties of accounting for activity level in bioenergetics models.
Comparison of in situ, ex situ, and backscatter model estimates of Pacific hake (Merluccius productus) target strength
Authors: Henderson Mark J , Horne John K
Published: November 2007

To convert acoustic energy into estimates of fish density, the target strength (TS) of a representative fish must be known. TS is a measure of the acoustic reflectivity of a fish, which is variable depending on the presence of a swimbladder, the size of the fish, its behavior, morphology, and physiology. The most common method used to estimate the TS of a fish is a TS-to-length empirical regression, with TS values increasing with fish length. This study uses in situ and ex situ TS measurements and a backscatter model to develop TS-to-length conversions for Pacific hake (Merluccius productus). Results from in situ and ex situ measurements had regression intercepts 4–6 dB lower than the previous Pacific hake TS-to-length regression. These differences suggest that an individual hake reflects 2.5–4 times less acoustic energy than was previously estimated.
Effects of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) on amphibians in productive recreational fishing lakes of British Columbia
Authors: Hirner Joanna Lynne McGarvie , Cox Sean P
Published: November 2007

Stocking lakes with trout to enhance recreational fishing can negatively affect native aquatic species. Our objectives were (i) to compare presence, relative abundance, body size, and developmental stage of amphibians in lakes with and without rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in British Columbia’s southern interior, and (ii) to estimate the size of trout impact for application to amphibian conservation. Presence of long-toed salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum), Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris), and Pacific treefrog (Pseudacris regilla) was not significantly different between lake types. In contrast, western toad (Bufo boreas) larvae presence and relative abundance were significantly higher in lakes with trout. Relative abundance of salamander larvae was significantly lower in lakes with trout, but hypothesis testing did not provide consistent evidence of significantly lower abundances of spotted frog and treefrog larvae. However, estimated ratios of relative abundance (impact) indicated that larvae of the salamander and two frogs were ≥65% less abundant in lakes with trout. Salamander larvae were significantly smaller in lakes with trout. Although amphibians may currently coexist with trout in our study region, trout stocking policy in British Columbia should consider amphibian conservation because the presence of trout is associated with lower amphibian abundance and body size in individual lakes.
Didymosphenia geminata in two Alberta headwater rivers: an emerging invasive species that challenges conventional views on algal bloom development
Authors: Kirkwood Andrea E , Shea Troina , Jackson Leland J , McCauley Edward
Published: November 2007

The diatom Didymosphenia geminata (Bacillariophyceae) has garnered increased attention as a nuisance and invasive species in freshwater systems. Historically described as rare yet cosmopolitan, a suspected new variant of D. geminata has the capacity to inundate kilometres of river bottom during a bloom. Unlike most other bloom-forming algae, D. geminata proliferates under high water quality (i.e., low turbidity and low nutrient) conditions. To inform management strategies, the environmental factors and conditions that promote bloom events must be ascertained. Our study of the Bow and Red Deer rivers in southern Alberta, Canada, provides supporting evidence that the mean flow regime is associated with bloom development, based on a significant negative relationship detected between D. geminata biomass and mean discharge (r2 = 0.30). While flow regulation by dams can create the stable flow environment preferred by D. geminata, our results indicate that flow regime (rather than just proximity to dam outflows) is the likely mechanism, in addition to other environmental factors, such as water clarity, temperature, pH, conductivity, and total phosphorus. We discuss the formidable challenges to D. geminata management, particularly along unregulated river reaches, yet also recognize the unique research opportunities that this organism poses for the growing field of invasion biology.
Diary of a bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus): daily δ13C and δ18O records in otoliths by ion microprobe
Authors: Weidel Brian C , Ushikubo Takayuki , Carpenter Stephen R , Kita Noriko T , Cole Jonathan J , Kitchell James F , Pace Michael L , Valley John W
Published: November 2007

Otoliths provide information about an individual fish’s environment at ecologically relevant time scales. We used ion microprobe analysis to produce high-resolution δ13C and δ18O time series from two age-4 bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) otoliths, which provided insight into fish behavior and otolith fractionation processes. Scanning electron microscope images revealed δ13C and δ18O pit diameters of 10 and 15 µm, respectively, corresponding to 1–5 and 2–9 daily increments during rapid otolith growth and 6–9 and 12–25 increments near annual otolith growth checks. Spot-to-spot reproducibility (1 SD) of the calcite standards was <0.2‰ for δ18O and <0.4‰ for δ13C and was small enough to resolve a change in a fish’s ambient temperature of approximately 1 °C. A whole-lake 13C addition experiment elevated the δ13C of the lake’s dissolved inorganic carbon for 56 days during the summer of 2005. Mixing model results indicated that the proportion of dietary carbon in otoliths (M) was similar for both fish (BLG-3, M = 0.45; BLG-12, M = 0.35), but the relation between M and proxies of metabolic rate differed between fish. Otolith stable isotope analysis by ion microprobe can reveal the environmental history of an individual fish and contribute to our understanding of processes that influence isotope ratio fractionation in otoliths.
Genome doubling and chromosome elimination with fragment recombination leading to the formation of Brassica rapa–type plants with genomic alterations in crosses with Orychophragmus violaceus
Authors: Liu Min , Li Zai-Yun
Published: November 2007

In distant hybridization of plants, nonclassical hybrids with unexpected chromosome complements, chromosome elimination, and genetic introgression have been well documented. We obtained intergeneric hybrids between Brassica rapa , B. rapa var. chinensis, and another cruciferous species, Orychophragmus violaceus , following embryo rescue. Hybrids mainly displayed phenotypes of B. rapa, although certain O. violaceus or novel characteristics also appeared. Variable numbers of chromosomes were observed in somatic cells in the roots of plantlets on medium and in ovaries and pollen mother cells (PMCs). However, higher numbers were recorded in the roots. GISH revealed that the majority of ovary cells and PMCs contained 20 chromosomes of B. rapa with or without individual O. violaceus chromosomes or fragments added or introgressed. AFLP analysis showed that fragments deleted from the B. rapa genome were much more frequent than novel and O. violaceus fragments. The mechanisms involved genome doubling and successive elimination of O. violaceus chromosomes accompanied by fragment recombination and introgression, producing B. rapa–type plants with modified genetic constitutions and phenotypes.
Ectopic gene conversions in bacterial genomes
Authors: Morris Robert T. , Drouin Guy
Published: November 2007

We characterized the gene conversions found between the duplicated genes of 75 bacterial genomes from five species groups (archaea, nonpathogenic and pathogenic firmicutes, and nonpathogenic and pathogenic proteobacteria). The number of gene conversions is positively correlated with the size of multigene families and the size of multigene families is not significantly different between pathogenic and nonpathogenic taxa. However, gene conversions occur twice as frequently in pathogenic species as in nonpathogenic species. Comparisons between closely related species also indicate a trend towards increased gene conversion in pathogenic species. Whereas the length of the conversions is positively correlated with flanking sequence similarity in all five groups, these correlations are smaller for pathogenic firmicutes and proteobacteria than for nonpathogenic firmicutes and proteobacteria. These results are consistent with our previous work on E. coli genomes and suggest that pathogenic bacteria allow recombination between more divergent gene sequences. This higher permissiveness is likely adaptive because it allows them to generate more genetic variability.
Quantitative trait loci underlying the development of seed composition in soybean (Glycine maxL. Merr.)
Authors: Li Wenbin , Sun Desheng , Du Yuping , Chen Qingshan , Zhang Zhongchen , Qiu Lijuan , Sun Genlou
Published: November 2007

One hundred and forty-three F2:7recombinant inbred lines (RILs) developed from the cross of soybean cultivars ‘Charleston’ and ‘Dongnong 594’ were analyzed for the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) underlying protein or oil content at 6 different developmental stages by composite interval mapping with a mixed genetic model. The genotype × environment (G × E) interactions of the QTLs were also evaluated. Nineteen (2004) and 33 (2005) unconditional QTLs underlying seed protein or oil content at the different developmental stages were mapped onto 8 and 9 linkage groups, respectively. The proportion of phenotypic variation explained by these QTLs ranged from 6.26% to 30.52% and from 5.38% to 28.47%, respectively. Fourteen (2004) and 21 (2005) conditional QTLs underlying seed protein or oil content were mapped onto 5 and 8 linkage groups, respectively. The proportion of phenotypic variation explained by these QTLs ranged from 2.97% to 29.68% and from 5.42% to 31.96%, respectively. The numbers and types of QTLs and the genetic effect for the two traits were different at each developmental stage. However, several genomic regions that simultaneously control the development of both traits were detected. The genetic effect on protein content and oil content was opposite for loci in the marker interval Satt335–SSatt334, reflecting a negative correlation of protein content and oil content. A G × E interaction effect of some QTLs underlying protein or oil content at different growth periods was observed.
Introgression of wheat chromosome 2D or 5D into tritordeum leads to free-threshing habit
Authors: Atienza S. G. , Martín A. C. , Martín A.
Published: November 2007

Hexaploid tritordeum is the amphiploid derived from the cross between the diploid wild barley Hordeum chilense and durum wheat. The non-free-threshing habit is a constraint to this species becoming a new crop. Three tritordeum lines (HT374, HT376, and HT382) showing the free-threshing habit were selected from crosses between tritordeum and bread wheat. All three lines were euploids, as revealed by mitotic chromosome counting. Genomic in situ hybridization analysis made it possible to distinguish differences among these lines. While the line HT382 carries only 10 chromosomes from H. chilense, the lines HT374 and HT376 have 12. These results suggest that HT382 is a double chromosome substitution line between H. chilense and the wheat D genome, while HT374 and HT376 each have one pair of H. chilense (Hch) chromosomes substituted by wheat D chromosomes. Molecular characterization revealed that HT382 is a 1D/(1Hch), 2D/(2Hch) chromosome substitution line, whereas HT374 and HT376 have 5D/(5Hch) substitutions. On the basis of previous knowledge, it seems that the absence of chromosome 2Hchor 5Hchis more important for producing the free-threshing habit than the presence of chromosome 2D or 5D, while chromosome 1Hchseems to be unrelated to the trait. These free-threshing tritordeum lines constitute an important advance in the tritordeum breeding program.
Conserved synteny of genes between chromosome 15 of Bombyx mori and a chromosome of Manduca sexta shown by five-color BAC-FISH
Authors: Sahara Ken , Yoshido Atsuo , Marec František , Fuková Iva , Zhang Hong-Bin , Wu Cheng-Cang , Goldsmith Marian R. , Yasukochi Yuji
Published: November 2007

The successful assignment of the existing genetic linkage groups (LGs) to individual chromosomes and the second-generation linkage map obtained by mapping a large number of bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) contigs in the silkworm, Bombyx mori , together with public nucleotide sequence databases, offer a powerful tool for the study of synteny between karyotypes of B. mori and other lepidopteran species. Conserved synteny of genes between particular chromosomes can be identified by comparatively mapping orthologous genes of the corresponding linkage groups with the help of BAC-FISH (fluorescent in situ hybridization). This technique was established in B. mori for 2 differently labeled BAC probes simultaneously hybridized to pachytene bivalents. To achieve higher-throughput comparative mapping using BAC-FISH in Lepidoptera, we developed a protocol for five-color BAC-FISH, which allowed us to map simultaneously 6 different BAC probes to chromosome 15 in B. mori. We identified orthologs of 6 B. mori LG15 genes (RpP0, RpS8, eIF3, RpL7A, RpS23, and Hsc70) for the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta , and selected the ortholog-containing BAC clones from an M. sexta BAC library. All 6 M. sexta BAC clones hybridized to a single M. sexta bivalent in pachytene spermatocytes. Thus, we have confirmed the conserved synteny between the B. mori chromosome 15 and the corresponding M. sexta chromosome (hence provisionally termed chromosome 15).
The orphan nuclear receptor DHR38 influences transcription of the DOPA decarboxylase gene in epidermal and neural tissues ofDrosophila melanogaster
Authors: Davis Monica M. , Yang Ping , Chen Liam , O’Keefe Sandra L. , Hodgetts Ross B.
Published: November 2007

The DOPA decarboxylase gene (Ddc) belongs to the “early-late” class of ecdysone-inducible genes in Drosophila melanogaster . Its expression is up-regulated in epidermal tissues by the ecdysone receptor acting through a response element, EcRE. In this paper, we show that another member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, DHR38, may act as a repressor of epidermal Ddc while inducing Ddc expression in neuronal cells. DHR38 does not behave as a classical co-repressor of the ecdysone receptor though, since the site through which DHR38 acts is distinct from the EcRE. Ectopic expression of a Dhr38 cDNA from a heat-shock promoter completely repressed transcription from the endogenous Ddc promoter and from an intact reporter construct in the hypoderm and in imaginal discs. Ectopic DHR38 had no effect on the transcription of a reporter driven by a Ddc fragment missing the DHR38 binding site. Neither reporter expression nor endogenous Ddc transcript levels were affected in a Dhr38 mutant background. Because most mutant organisms pupariate apparently normally and many of these survive to eclose, we believe that some functional redundancy exists within the Dhr38 regulatory network operating in epidermal tissues. In contrast to its apparent repressor function in epidermal tissues, DHR38 may act as a positive regulator of neural Ddc expression. Ectopic expression of DHR38 throughout the CNS induced as much as a 20-fold increase in Ddc transcripts in the set of neurons in which DDC normally appears.
Mapping EST-derived SSRs and ESTs involved in resistance to bacterial blight inManihot esculenta
Authors: López Camilo E. , Quesada-Ocampo Lina M. , Bohórquez Adriana , Duque Myriam Cristina , Vargas Jaime , Tohme Joe , Verdier Valérie
Published: November 2007

Cassava ( Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a major root crop widely grown in the tropics. Cassava bacterial blight, caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. manihotis (Xam), is an important disease in Latin America and Africa resulting in significant losses. The preferred control method is the use of resistant genotypes. Mapping expressed sequence tags (ESTs) and determining their co-localization with quantitative trait loci (QTLs) may give additional evidence of the role of the corresponding genes in resistance or defense. Twenty-one EST-derived simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were mapped in 16 linkage groups. ESTs showing similarities with candidate resistance genes or defense genes were also mapped using strategies such as restriction fragment length polymorphisms, cleaved amplified polymorphic sequences, and allele-specific primers. In total, 10 defense-related genes and 2 bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) containing resistance gene candidates (RGCs) were mapped in 11 linkage groups. Two new QTLs associated with resistance to Xam strains CIO121 and CIO151 were detected in linkage groups A and U, respectively. The QTL in linkage group U explained 61.6% of the phenotypic variance and was associated with an RGC-containing BAC. No correlation was found between the new EST-derived SSRs or other mapped ESTs and the new or previously reported QTLs.
Proanthocyanidin promotes free radical-scavenging activity in muscle tissues and plasma
Authors: Masuda Kazumi , Hori Tatsuya , Tanabe Kai , Kano Yutaka , Hirayama Aki , Nagase Sohji
Published: November 2007

The present study was carried out to clarify the effect of oral administration of proanthocyanidin (PA) on radical-scavenging activity in muscle and plasma using electron spin resonance (ESR). Eight-week-old male Wistar rats were orally administered with 3 doses per day of 1 mL of 0.05% (PA0.05), 0.5% (PA0.5) or 5% (PA5) PA for 1 week. Control animals received the same volume of distilled water. We also examined the effect of a single dose of 0.5% PA. Blood and muscle were collected from rats 1 h after the final administration. Scavenging activity against superoxide anions in the plasma and m. soleus (Sol), m. plantaris (Pla), deep and surface areas of the m. gastrocnemius (GasD and GasS, respectively) and myocardium (Hrt) was determined using ESR with the spin trap, 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide The scavenging activity in plasma for all groups given PA was 34%–44% higher than the control (p < 0.05). The scavenging activity in Hrt, Sol and GasD increased by up to 50% compared with the control and tended to increase depending on the dose of PA (p < 0.05). The impact of a single dose of PA was undetectable in all tissues. These results suggested that 1 week of oral PA improves the radical-scavenging activity in both plasma and muscle, especially in highly oxidative muscle. A single dose of PA was insufficient to improve the antioxidative capacity of muscle tissues.
The physical activity counselling (PAC) randomized controlled trial: rationale, methods, and interventions
Authors: Fortier Michelle S. , Hogg William , O’Sullivan Tracey L. , Blanchard Christopher , Reid Robert D. , Sigal Ronald J. , Boulay Pierre , Doucet Eric , Sweet Shane , Bisson Étienne , Beaulac Julie
Published: November 2007

Primary care is a promising venue to build patient motivation and confidence to increase physical activity (PA). Physician PA counselling has demonstrated some success; however, maintenance of behaviour change appears to require more intensive interventions. In reality, most physicians do not have the necessary training nor the time for this type of counselling. The purpose of this paper is to outline the rationale, methods, and interventions for the ongoing physical activity counselling (PAC) randomized controlled trial (RCT), which aims to assess the impact of integrating a PA counsellor into a primary care practice. This RCT has 2 arms: (i) brief PA counselling (2–4 min) from a health care provider and (ii) brief PA counselling + intensive PA counselling from a PA counsellor (3 months). The impact of this intervention is being evaluated using the comprehensive RE-AIM framework. One hundred twenty insufficiently active adult patients, aged 18 to 69 y and recruited during regular primary care visits have been randomized. Dependent measures include psychological mediators, PA participation, quality of life, and physical and metabolic outcomes. The PAC project represents an innovative, theoretically-based approach to promoting PA in primary care, focusing on psychological mediators of change. We anticipate that key lessons from this study will be useful for shaping future public health interventions, theories, and research.
Specific inspiratory muscle warm-up enhances badminton footwork performance
Authors: Lin Hua , Tong Tom Kwokkeung , Huang Chuanye , Nie Jinlei , Lu Kui , Quach Binh
Published: November 2007

The effects of inspiratory muscle (IM) warm-up on IM function and on the maximum distance covered in a subsequent incremental badminton-footwork test (FWmax) were examined. Ten male badminton players were recruited to perform identical tests in three different trials in a random order. The control trial did not involve an IM warm-up, whereas the placebo and experimental trials did involve an IM warm-up consisting of two sets of 30-breath manoeuvres with an inspiratory pressure-threshold load equivalent to 15% (PLA) and 40% (IMW) maximum inspiratory mouth pressure, respectively. In the IMW trial, IM function was improved with 7.8% ± 4.0% and 6.9% ± 3.5% increases from control found in maximal inspiratory pressure at zero flow (P0) and maximal rate of P0 development (MRPD), respectively (p < 0.05). FWmax was enhanced 6.8% ± 3.7%, whereas the slope of the linear relationship of the increase in the rating of perceived breathlessness for every minute (RPB/min) was reduced (p < 0.05). Reduction in blood lactate ([La–]b) accumulation was observed when the test duration was identical to that of the control trial (P < 0.05). In the PLA trial, no parameter was changed from control. For the changes (Δ) in parameters in IMW (n = 10), negative correlations were found between ΔP0 and ΔRPB/min (r2 = 0.58), ΔMRPD and ΔRPB/min (r2 = 0.48), ΔRPB/min, and ΔFWmax (r2 = 0.55), but not between Δ[La–]b accumulation and ΔFWmax. Such findings suggest that the IM-specific warm-up improved footwork performance in the subsequent maximum incremental badminton-footwork test. The improved footwork was partly attributable to the reduced breathless sensation resulting from the enhanced IM function, whereas the contribution of the concomitant reduction in [La–]b accumulation was relatively minor.
Gender comparisons of exercise-induced oxidative stress: influence of antioxidant supplementation
Authors: Goldfarb Allan H. , McKenzie Michael J. , Bloomer Richard J.
Published: November 2007

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of gender and antioxidant supplementation on exercise-induced oxidative stress. Twenty-five men and 23 women ran for 30 min at 80% VO2 max, once before and once after 2 weeks of supplementation, and again after a 1-week wash-out period. Subjects were randomly assigned to either placebo (P), antioxidant (A: 400 IU vitamin E + 1 g vitamin C), or a fruit and vegetable powder (FV) treatment. Blood was obtained at rest and immediately after exercise. Before supplementation, women had higher resting reduced glutathione, total glutathione, and plasma vitamin E compared with men. With both A and FV supplementations, plasma vitamin E gender differences disappeared. Protein carbonyls, oxidized glutathione, and malondialdehyde all increased similarly for both genders in response to exercise. Both A and FV attenuated the reduced glutathione decrease and the oxidized glutathione and protein carbonyls increase compared with P, with no gender differences. 8-Hydroxydeoxyguanosine was lower with treatment A compared with FV and P only for men. Plasma vitamin C increased 39% (A) and 21% (FV) compared with P. These data indicate that women have higher resting antioxidant levels than men. Markers of oxidative stress increased similarly in both genders in response to exercise of similar intensity and duration. Two weeks of antioxidant supplementation can attenuate exercise-induced oxidative stress equally in both genders.
Physical activity guides for Canadians: messaging strategies, realistic expectations for change, and evaluationThis article is part of a supplement entitledAdvancing physical activity measurement and guidelines in Canada: a scientific review and evidence-based foundation for the future of Canadian physical activity guidelinesco-published byApplied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolismand theCanadian Journal of Public Health. It may be cited as Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab. 32(Suppl. 2E) or as Can. J. Public Health 98(Suppl. 2).
Authors: Brawley Lawrence R. , Latimer Amy E.
Published: November 2007

Physical activity guidelines offer evidence-based behavioural benchmarks that relate to reduced risk of morbidity and mortality if people adhere to them. Essentially, the guidelines tell people what to do, but not why and how they should do it. Thus, to motivate adherence, messages that translate guidelines should convey not only how much physical activity one should attempt and why it is recommended, but also how to achieve such a recommendation. Canada's physical activity guides exemplify how guidelines can be translated. This paper (i) provides a brief overview of the challenges encountered in creating the existing guides and (ii) highlights important practical issues and empirical evidence that should be considered in the future when translating guidelines into messages and disseminating these messages. We draw on the successes of past efforts to translate the goals of physical activity guidelines and on recent literature on messages and media campaigns to make recommendations. Information to motivate people to move toward the goals in physical activity guidelines should be translated into a set of messages that are informative, thought provoking, and persuasive. These messages should be disseminated to the public via a multi-phase social-marketing campaign that is carefully planned and thoroughly evaluated.
Canada’s physical activity guides: has their release had an impact?This article is part of a supplement entitled Advancing physical activity measurement and guidelines in Canada: a scientific review and evidence-based foundation for the future of Canadian physical activity guidelines co-published by Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism and the Canadian Journal of Public Health. It may be cited as Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab. 32(Suppl. 2E) or as Can. J. Public Health 98(Suppl. 2).
Authors: Cameron Christine , Craig Cora L. , Bull Fiona C. , Bauman Adrian
Published: November 2007

The purpose of this paper is to examine the reach of different versions of Canada’s physical activity guide (CPAG) and their impacts, including immediate effects (awareness, knowledge, beliefs, future intention to be active, first steps towards behavioural change) and population levels of physical activity. The analysis is based on eligible adults aged 18 years and older (n = 8,892) included in the 2003 Physical Activity Monitor (PAM) survey. The 2003 PAM was a cross-sectional, telephone interview of a representative population sample. Secular trends of Canadians aged 12 years and older were examined, using representative samples from the National Population Health and Canadian Community Health Surveys. Unprompted recall of any guidelines for physical activity was very low (4%), whereas prompted recall of the CPAG was higher (37%). Unprompted and prompted recall were higher among women and high-income earners, and increased with level of education. Behaviours associated with “seeking information” and “initiating action” were associated with unprompted and prompted recall. Beliefs about the benefits of physical activity and intention to be active were also associated with prompted recall. Unprompted CPAG recall, knowledge about the amount of activity required to meet the CPAG, intention to be active, “seeking information”, and “initiating action” were associated with being “sufficiently active”. The CPAG is an appropriate set of public health guidelines or recommendations around physical activity. The low unprompted recall rate points to the need for a coordinated, well-funded approach to communication of these guidelines, involving governmental and non-governmental partners and intermediaries in municipalities, schools, workplaces, and the recreational, public health, and health-care systems.
Ventilatory constraints and dyspnea during exercise in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Laveneziana Pierantonio , Parker Chris M. , O’Donnell Denis E.
Published: November 2007

Dyspnea (respiratory difficulty) and activity limitation are the primary symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and progress relentlessly as the disease advances, contributing to reduced quality of life. In COPD, the mechanisms of dyspnea are multifactorial, but abnormal dynamic ventilatory mechanics are believed to play a central role. In flow-limited patients with COPD, dynamic lung hyperinflation (DH) occurs during exercise and has serious sensory and mechanical consequences. In several studies, indices of DH strongly correlate with ratings of dyspnea intensity during exercise, and strategies that reduce resting hyperinflation (either pharmacological or surgical) consistently result in reduced exertional dyspnea. The mechanisms by which DH gives rise to exertional dyspnea and exercise intolerance are complex, but recent mechanistic studies suggest that DH-induced inspiratory muscle loading, restriction of tidal volume expansion during exercise, and consequent neuromechanical uncoupling of the respiratory system are key components. This review examines the specific derangements of ventilatory mechanics that occur in COPD during exercise and attempts to provide a mechanistic rationale for the attendant respiratory discomfort and activity limitation.
Exercise-induced arterial hypoxaemia in active young women
Authors: Guenette Jordan A. , Sheel A. William
Published: November 2007

Studies examining pulmonary gas exchange during exercise have primarily focused on young healthy men, whereas the female response to exercise has received limited attention. Evidence is accumulating that the response of the lungs, airways, and (or) respiratory muscles to exercise is less than ideal and this may significantly compromise oxygen transport in certain groups of otherwise healthy, fit, active, male subjects. Women may be even more susceptible to exercise-induced pulmonary limitations than height-matched men, by virtue of their smaller lung volumes, lower maximal expiratory flow rates, and smaller diffusion surface areas. We have recently shown that exercise-induced arterial hypoxaemia (EIAH) is more prevalent and occurs at relatively lower fitness levels in females than in males. Despite this finding, few physiologically based mechanisms have been identified to explain why women may be more susceptible to EIAH than men. Potential mechanisms of EIAH include relative alveolar hypoventilation, ventilation–perfusion inequality, and diffusion limitation. Whether these mechanisms are different between sexes remains controversial. The primary purpose of this review is to summarize the available data on EIAH in women and to discuss potential sex-based mechanisms for gas exchange impairment. Furthermore, we discuss unresolved questions dealing with pulmonary system limitations during exercise in women.
Resistance exercise: good for more than just Grandma and Grandpa’s muscles
Authors: Phillips Stuart M.
Published: November 2007

Progressive resistance training promotes strength gains in both the young and the aged. Importantly, gains in strength in aged persons are, with the appropriate duration, intensity, and progression, not simply due to neuromuscular mechanisms, but also encompass muscle fibre hypertrophy. Critically, the resistance exercise-induced changes in aged skeletal muscle are associated with numerous health benefits, the most obvious of which are the gains in strength and, with the correct training program, power; as a result, functional independence is improved and the risk for falls is apparently reduced. Aside from the well-documented effects of resistance training on strength and power, a body of research is now beginning to emerge that shows resistance exercise also promotes metabolic health. This is crucial information, since it effectively highlights an underappreciated aspect of resistance exercise. Specifically, resistance exercise not only promotes strength gains, but also reduces risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The benefits of resistance exercise do not end at metabolic health, however, and “spill over” into many other realms. In fact, resistance exercise programs have been shown to reduce participants’ use of the health care system. Viewed collectively, the multiple benefits of resistance exercise represent an attractive option for our aging population to enhance and maintain their health from a number of perspectives that are not achievable through pharmacological intervention or with solely aerobic-based exercise.
Regulation of the cellular DNA double-strand break response
Authors: Cann Kendra L. , Hicks Geoffrey G.
Published: November 2007

DNA double-strand breaks occur frequently in cycling cells, and are also induced by exogenous sources, including ionizing radiation. Cells have developed integrated double-strand break response pathways to cope with these lesions, including pathways that initiate DNA repair (either via homologous recombination or nonhomologous end joining), the cell-cycle checkpoints (G1–S, intra-S phase, and G2–M) that provide time for repair, and apoptosis. However, before any of these pathways can be activated, the damage must first be recognized. In this review, we will discuss how the response of mammalian cells to DNA double-strand breaks is regulated, beginning with the activation of ATM, the pinnacle kinase of the double-strand break signalling cascade.
Expression of fusion IL2-B7.1(IgV+C) and effects on T lymphocytes
Authors: Kong Linghong , Li Yaochen , Yang Ye , Li Kangsheng
Published: November 2007

The search for an effective immunotherapeutic treatment for tumors is an important area of cancer research. To prepare a more effective form of the bifunctional fusion protein IL2-B7.1(IgV+C) and analyze its effect on the stimulation of T lymphocyte proliferation, we used DNAStar 5.03 software to predict the structural diversity and biochemical character of IL2-B7.1(IgV+C). We then prepared fusion protein IL2-B7.1(IgV+C) by establishing its prokaryotic expression system, and tested its effect on the stimulation of T lymphocytes in vitro. The results indicated that IL2-B7.1(IgV+C) correctly formed a secondary structure in which both IL2 and B7.1(IgV+C) maintained their original hydrophilicity and epitopes. Western blot analysis revealed that IL2-B7.1(IgV+C) was efficiently expressed. Our analysis of CTLL-2 and T-cell proliferation showed that recombinant human (rh) IL2-B7.1(IgV+C) exerted the combined stimulating effects of both rhIL2 and rh B7.1(IgV+C) on cell proliferation, and that these effects could be blocked by adding either anti-IL2 or anti-B7.1 monoclonal antibodies. A >2-fold increase in [3H]TdR incorporation compared with that of cells treated with recombinant protein IL2, or B7.1(IgV+C) alone, revealed that rhIL2-B7.1(IgV+C) had dose-dependent synergetic effects on T-cell activation in the presence of anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody. We concluded that the augmented potency of rhIL2-B7.1(IgV+C) resulted in a stronger stimulation of T-cell proliferation than either rhB7.1(IgV+C) or rhIL2 alone.
Activated pericyte attenuates endothelial functions: nitric oxide – cGMP rescues activated pericyte-associated endothelial dysfunctions
Authors: Majumder Syamantak , Tamilarasan K. P. , Kolluru Gopi Krishna , Muley Ajit , Nair C. Madhavan , Omanakuttan Athira , Murty K.V.G.K. , Chatterjee Suvro
Published: November 2007

Hepatic stellate cells are liver-specific pericytes and exist in close proximity with endothelial cells. The activation of liver pericytes is intrinsic to liver pathogenesis, and leads to endothelial dysfunction, including the low bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO). However, the role of nitric oxide in pericyte–endothelium cross-talk has not yet been elucidated. This work examines the cellular mechanism of action of NO in pericyte-mediated endothelial dysfunction. We used in vitro coculture and conditioned medium systems to study the effects of activated liver pericytes on endothelial function, and an egg yolk vascular bed model was used to study the effects of activated pericytes on angiogenesis. This study also demonstrates that activated pericytes attenuate the migration, proliferation, permeability, and NO production of endothelial cells. Our results demonstrate that activated pericytes restrict angiogenesis in egg yolk vascular bed models, and NO supplementation recovers 70% of the inhibition. Our results also demonstrate that supplementation with NO, sildenafil citrate (phosphodiesterase inhibitor), and 8-bromo-cGMP (cGMP analog) partially recovers activated-pericyte-mediated endothelium dysfunction. We conclude that NO–cGMP alleviates activated-pericyte-associated endothelial dysfunction, including angiogenesis, in a cGMP-dependent manner.