Baseline cortisol predicts drunkorexia in female but not male college students.

"Drunkorexia" or compensatory eating behaviors in response to alcohol consumption, resembles a subclinical eating disorder, and is a current public health concern. Eating disorders and alcohol abuse are associated with dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA). One index of HPA function is cortisol.

Physical Environment Correlates of Physical Activity in Developing Countries: A Review.

Background: Noncommunicable diseases and obesity are considered problems of wealthy, developed countries. These conditions are rising dramatically in developing countries. Most existing research on the role of the physical environment to support physical activity examines developed countries only.

Shift Schedules and Intern Work Hours, Patient Numbers, Conference Attendance, and Sleep at a Single Pediatric Residency Program.

Objective: The effects of 2011 Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) duty hour standards on intern work hours, patient load, conference attendance, and sleep have not been fully determined. We prospectively compared intern work hours, patient numbers, conference attendance, sleep duration, pattern, and quality in a 2011 ACGME duty hour-compliant shift schedule with a 2003 ACGME duty hour-compliant call schedule at a single pediatric residency program.

Methods: Interns were assigned to shift or call schedules during 4 alternate months in the winter of 2010-2011.

Built environmental correlates of physical activity in China: A review.

Objective: China faces growing levels of physical inactivity and obesity, associated with increasing urbanization and changing lifestyles in recent years. China is expanding its cities to accommodate a growing urban population. This paper identifies built environment factors that are associated with physical activity in China.

Walk Score, Transportation Mode Choice, and Walking Among French Adults: A GPS, Accelerometer, and Mobility Survey Study.

Background: Few studies have used GPS data to analyze the relationship between Walk Score, transportation choice and walking. Additionally, the influence of Walk Score is understudied using trips rather than individuals as statistical units. The purpose of this study is to examine associations at the trip level between Walk Score, transportation mode choice, and walking among Paris adults who were tracked with GPS receivers and accelerometers in the RECORD GPS Study.

Application of global positioning system methods for the study of obesity and hypertension risk among low-income housing residents in New York City: a spatial feasibility study.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using global positioning system (GPS) methods to understand the spatial context of obesity and hypertension risk among a sample of low-income housing residents in New York City (n = 120). GPS feasibility among participants was measured with a pre- and post-survey as well as adherence to a protocol which included returning the GPS device as well as objective data analysed from the GPS devices. We also conducted qualitative interviews with 21 of the participants.

Walking, obesity and urban design in Chinese neighborhoods.

Objective: We examined the connections (1) between the design of the built environment and walking, (2) between the design of the built environment and obesity, and (3) between walking and obesity and income in urban settings in China.

Methods: Six neighborhoods with different built environment characteristics, located in the Chinese cities of Shanghai and Hangzhou, were studied. Data on walking and other physical activity and obesity levels from 1070 residents were collected through a street intercept survey conducted in 2013.

Does Bus Rapid Transit promote walking? An examination of New York City's Select Bus Service.

Background: Cities across the U.S. and internationally are adopting Bus Rapid Transit to improve transit services for residents.

Overweight, obesity, and inactivity and urban design in rapidly growing Chinese cities.

China faces rising rates of overweight, obesity, and physical inactivity among its citizens. Risk is highest in China's rapidly growing cities and urban populations. Current urban development practices and policies in China heighten this risk.

Measuring the built environment for physical activity: state of the science.

Physical inactivity is one of the most important public health issues in the U.S. and internationally.

Revising the senior walking environmental assessment tool.

Background: The Senior Walking Environmental Assessment Tool (SWEAT), an instrument for measuring built environmental features associated with physical activity of older adults, was revised to create an easier-to-use tool for use by practitioners and community members.

Methods: Inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of the modified instrument (SWEAT-R) was assessed in Portland, Oregon in 2007. Five trained observers audited street segments in 12 neighborhoods, resulting in 361 pairs of audits, including 63 repeated audits.

Post-Injury Administration of Mitochondrial Uncouplers Increases Tissue Sparing and Improves Behavioral Outcome following Traumatic Brain Injury in Rodents.

Following experimental traumatic brain injury (TBI), a rapid and significant necrosis occurs at the site of injury which coincides with significant mitochondrial dysfunction. The present study is driven by the hypothesis that TBI-induced glutamate release increases mitochondrial Ca(2+)cycling/overload, ultimately leading to mitochondrial dysfunction. Based on this premise, mitochondrial uncoupling during the acute phases of TBI-induced excitotoxicity should reduce mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake (cycling) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production since both are mitochondrial membrane potential dependent.

Proteomic identification of oxidized mitochondrial proteins following experimental traumatic brain injury.

Experimental traumatic brain injury (TBI) results in a significant loss of cortical tissue at the site of injury, and in the ensuing hours and days a secondary injury exacerbates this primary injury, resulting in significant neurological dysfunction. The mechanism of the secondary injury is not well understood, but evidence implicates a critical role for mitochondria in this cascade. This mitochondrial dysfunction is believed to involve excitotoxicity, disruption of Ca(2+) homeostasis, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), ATP depletion, oxidative damage of mitochondrial proteins, and an overall breakdown of mitochondrial bioenergetics.

Gene expression and specificity in the mature zone of the lobster olfactory organ.

The lobster olfactory organ is an important model for investigating many aspects of the olfactory system. To facilitate study of the molecular basis of olfaction in lobsters, we made a subtracted cDNA library from the mature zone of the olfactory organ of Homarus americanus, the American lobster. Sequencing of the 5'-end of 5,184 cDNA clones produced 2,389 distinct high-quality sequences consisting of 1,944 singlets and 445 contigs.

The Irvine-Minnesota inventory to measure built environments: reliability tests.

Background: Inter-rater reliability is an important element of environmental audit tools. This paper presents results of reliability tests of the Irvine-Minnesota Inventory, an extensive audit tool aimed at measuring a broad range of built environment features that may be linked to active living.

Methods: Inter-rater reliability was measured by percentage agreement between observers.

The Irvine-Minnesota inventory to measure built environments: development.

Background: Researchers and policymakers increasingly identify active living-including walking and bicycling for travel and recreation-as a potential strategy to increase rates of physical activity in the United States. Understanding the impact of the built environment on physical activity levels requires reliable methods to measure potentially relevant built environment features. This paper presents an audit tool-the Irvine Minnesota Inventory-that was designed to measure a wide range of built environment features that are potentially linked to active living, especially walking.

Evaluation of the California Safe Routes to School legislation: urban form changes and children's active transportation to school.

Background: Walking or bicycling to school could contribute to children's daily physical activity, but physical environment changes are often needed to improve the safety and convenience of walking and cycling routes. The California Safe Routes to School (SR2S) legislation provided competitive funds for construction projects such as sidewalks, traffic lights, pedestrian crossing improvements, and bicycle paths.

Methods: A cross-sectional evaluation examined the relationship between urban form changes and walking and bicycle travel to school.