Examining the impact of integrating physical activity on fluid intelligence and academic performance in an elementary school setting: a preliminary investigation.

Purpose: To examine the impact of integrating physical activity with elementary curricula on fluid intelligence and academic achievement.

Methods: A random sample of 3rd grade teachers integrated physical activity into their core curricula approximately 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week from January 2008 to April 2008. Noninvasive fluid intelligence cognitive measures were used along with State-mandated academic achievement tests.

Regional differences in awareness and attitudes regarding genetic testing for disease risk and ancestry.

Little is known about the lay public's awareness and attitudes concerning genetic testing and what factors influence their perspectives. The existing literature focuses mainly on ethnic and socioeconomic differences; however, here we focus on how awareness and attitudes regarding genetic testing differ by geographical regions in the US. We compared awareness and attitudes concerning genetic testing for disease risk and ancestry among 452 adults (41% Black and 67% female) in four major US cities, Norman, OK; Cincinnati, OH; Harlem, NY; and Washington, DC; prior to their participation in genetic ancestry testing.

Comparing physical activity measures in a diverse group of midlife and older adults.

Purpose: To compare self-report and objective measures of moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA min·d(-1)) in midlife and older adults.

Methods: Seventy-one participants (69% female, 74.6% Caucasian, 25.

Effects of the built environment on physical activity of adults living in rural settings.

Objective: To conduct a systematic review of the literature to examine the influence of the built environment (BE) on the physical activity (PA) of adults in rural settings.

Data Source: Key word searches of Academic Search Premier, PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Sport Discus were conducted.

Study Inclusion And Exclusion Criteria: Studies published prior to June 2008 were included if they assessed one or more elements of the BE, examined relationships between the BE and PA, and focused on rural locales.

Protective health factors and incident hypertension in men.

Background: Few studies have examined the association between a combination of lifestyle factors and the incidence of hypertension, particularly among men. This is important as lifestyle factors are often interrelated, and may often occur in combination. Thus, we investigated the individual and combined effects of body mass index (BMI), smoking status, alcohol intake, physical activity (PA), and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) on the incidence of hypertension in men.

Psychosocial mediators of a faith-based physical activity intervention: implications and lessons learned from null findings.

Mediation analyses in faith-based physical activity (PA) interventions targeting African-American adults are lacking. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychosocial mediators of a faith-based PA intervention with African-American adults. Churches were randomly assigned to receive immediate or delayed (1-year later) training in PA program implementation.

Effect of positive health factors and all-cause mortality in men.

Purpose: Although several health-related factors are independently associated with diverse health outcomes, their combined affect on mortality has not been fully described.

Methods: We examined the combined effect of several positive health factors, including having normal weight (body mass index = 18.5-24.

Reliability of a brief intercept survey for trail use behaviors.

Purpose: This study assessed test-retest reliability of an interviewer-administered trail survey.

Methods: An intercept survey was conducted with adults using 2 paved trails in Indiana and South Carolina (N = 295; mean age = 46.9 +/- 18 y).

Applications of TGA in quality control of SWCNTs.

Carbon nanotubes exhibit a range of chemistries, including mixtures of different nanotube diameters, lengths, and chiralities coupled with various concentrations of metallic and non-nanotube-carbon impurities. The performance of a given material for a specific application depends on the chemistry, which is dictated in large part by the manufacturing process. Here, thermogravimetric analysis is utilized as a bulk characterization method for determining nanotube quality after manufacturing.

Sedentary behaviors increase risk of cardiovascular disease mortality in men.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between two sedentary behaviors (riding in a car and watching TV) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in men in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study.

Methods: Participants were 7744 men (20-89 yr) initially free of CVD who returned a mail-back survey during 1982. Time spent watching TV and time spent riding in a car were reported.

8 Steps to Fitness: a faith-based, behavior change physical activity intervention for African Americans.

Background: Physical activity (PA) participation offers many benefits especially among ethnic groups that experience health disparities. Partnering with faith-based organizations allows for a more culturally tailored approach to changing health behaviors.

Methods: 8 Steps to Fitness was a faith-based behavior-change intervention promoting PA among members of African American churches.

Replication of prostate cancer risk loci on 8q24, 11q13, 17q12, 19q33, and Xp11 in African Americans.

Background: Prostate cancer (Pca) is a common malignancy that disproportionately affects African American men (AA). Recently there have been several genome-wide association studies (GWAS) implicating new prostate cancer risk loci along chromosomes 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 17, 19, and X in populations of European ancestry. Given the higher incidence and mortality for AAs, and differences in allele frequencies and haplotype structures between African and European descent populations, it is important to assess the impact of these candidate risk loci in AAs.

Sex-specific associations of body mass index with mood disturbance during smoking abstinence.

Objective: Previous reports have suggested an inverse relationship between body mass index (BMI) and negative mood in women. However, little is known about the potential association of these variables under stressful conditions, such as those experienced during smoking cessation. The current investigation examined the relationship of BMI and various indices of mood in a sample of male and female cigarette smokers undergoing cessation.

Education and training in physical activity research and practice.

Despite rapid growth in resources devoted to physical activity promotion, the public health capacity to address physical inactivity is insufficient. Too few public health practitioners have the necessary skills to implement and evaluate evidence-based physical activity interventions, and schools of public health typically do not have adequate course content in physical activity. This commentary discusses the types of initiatives needed to improve the education and training of physical activity practitioners and researchers to effectively address one of the 21st century's greatest health problems--an inactive lifestyle.

Novel single nucleotide polymorphism associations with colorectal cancer on chromosome 8q24 in African and European Americans.

Regions on chromosome 8q24 harbor susceptibility alleles for multiple cancers including colorectal (region 3) and prostate cancer (regions 1-4). The objectives of the present study were (i) to test whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in region 4 are associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) in European or African Americans; (ii) to test whether 8q24 SNPs previously shown to be associated with colorectal and prostate cancer also show association in our multiethnic series and (iii) to test for association between 100 ancestry informative markers (AIMs) and CRC in both the African American and European American cohorts. In total, we genotyped nine markers on 8q24 and 100 unlinked AIMs in 569 CRC cases and 439 controls (490 European Americans and 518 African Americans) obtained retrospectively from a hospital-based sample.

Could beaked whales get the bends? Effect of diving behaviour and physiology on modelled gas exchange for three species: Ziphius cavirostris, Mesoplodon densirostris and Hyperoodon ampullatus.

A mathematical model, based on current knowledge of gas exchange and physiology of marine mammals, was used to predict blood and tissue tension N2 (P(N2)) using field data from three beaked whale species: northern bottlenose whales, Cuvier's beaked whales, and Blainville's beaked whales. The objective was to determine if physiology (body mass, diving lung volume, dive response) or dive behaviour (dive depth and duration, changes in ascent rate, diel behaviour) would lead to differences in P(N2) levels and thereby decompression sickness (DCS) risk between species. Diving lung volume and extent of the dive response had a large effect on end-dive P(N2).

Metabolic syndrome and risk of cancer mortality in men.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been linked with an increased risk of developing cancer; however, the association between MetS and cancer mortality remains less clear. Little research has focused on pre-cancer risk factors that may affect the outcome of treatment. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between MetS and all-cancer mortality in men.

Race, genetic West African ancestry, and prostate cancer prediction by prostate-specific antigen in prospectively screened high-risk men.

"Race-specific" prostate-specific antigen (PSA) needs evaluation in men at high risk for prostate cancer for optimizing early detection. Baseline PSA and longitudinal prediction for prostate cancer were examined by self-reported race and genetic West African (WA) ancestry in the Prostate Cancer Risk Assessment Program, a prospective high-risk cohort. Eligibility criteria were age 35 to 69 years, family history of prostate cancer, African American race, or BRCA1/2 mutations.

Pedestrian activity among California adults.

Background: The objectives of this study were to assess (1) pedestrian activity levels among adults, (2) where and why adults engage in pedestrian activity, and (3) what adults consider when deciding where to engage in pedestrian activity.

Methods: Pedestrian activity was assessed in 12,036 California adults, >or=18 years, using a random digit-dial telephone survey.

Results: Significant differences were identified by race, sex, age, and physical activity level in the type, location, and purpose of pedestrian activities.

Estimating the effect of lung collapse and pulmonary shunt on gas exchange during breath-hold diving: the Scholander and Kooyman legacy.

We developed a mathematical model to investigate the effect of lung compression and collapse (pulmonary shunt) on the uptake and removal of O(2), CO(2) and N(2) in blood and tissue of breath-hold diving mammals. We investigated the consequences of pressure (diving depth) and respiratory volume on pulmonary shunt and gas exchange as pressure compressed the alveoli. The model showed good agreement with previous studies of measured arterial O(2) tensions (Pa(O)(2)) from freely diving Weddell seals and measured arterial and venous N(2) tensions from captive elephant seals compressed in a hyperbaric chamber.

Generation of stable, low-divergence electron beams by laser-wakefield acceleration in a steady-state-flow gas cell.

Laser-driven, quasimonoenergetic electron beams of up to approximately 200 MeV in energy have been observed from steady-state-flow gas cells. These beams emitted within a low-divergence cone of 2.1+/-0.

Cardiorespiratory fitness as a predictor of fatal and nonfatal stroke in asymptomatic women and men.

Background And Purpose: Prospective data on the association between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and stroke are largely limited to studies in men or do not separately examine risks for fatal and nonfatal stroke. This study examined the association between CRF and fatal and nonfatal stroke in a large cohort of asymptomatic women and men.

Methods: A total of 46,405 men and 15,282 women without known myocardial infarction or stroke at baseline completed a maximal treadmill exercise test between 1970 and 2001.

Daily steps in midlife and older adults: relationship with demographic, self-rated health, and self-reported physical activity.

The relationship between average daily step counts and age, body mass index (BMI), self-reported physical activity (PA) level, and perceived health was determined in 85 middle-aged and older adults who wore a pedometer for 7 consecutive days. Average daily steps were significantly (p < .05) correlated with BMI (r = -.

Sources and assumptions for the vicarious calibration of ocean color satellite observations.

Spaceborne ocean color sensors require vicarious calibration to sea-truth data to achieve accurate water-leaving radiance retrievals. The assumed requirements of an in situ data set necessary to achieve accurate vicarious calibration were set forth in a series of papers and reports developed nearly a decade ago, which were embodied in the development and site location of the Marine Optical BuoY (MOBY). Since that time, NASA has successfully used data collected by MOBY as the sole source of sea-truth data for vicarious calibration of the Sea-viewing Wide field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instruments.