Predictors of physical activity in colorectal cancer survivors after participation in a telephone-delivered multiple health behavior change intervention

Purpose: Physical activity improves the health outcomes of colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors, yet few are exercising at levels known to yield health benefits. Baseline demographic, clinical, behavioral, and psychosocial predictors of physical activity at 12 months were investigated in CRC survivors. Methods: Participants were CRC survivors (n = 410) who completed a 12-month multiple health behavior change intervention trial (CanChange). The outcome variable was 12 month sufficient physical activity (≥150 min of moderate–vigorous physical activity/week). Baseline predictors included demographics and clinical variables, health behaviors, and psychosocial variables. Results: Multivariate linear regression revealed that baseline sufficient physical activity (p < 0.001), unemployment (p = 0.004), private health insurance (p = 0.040), higher cancer-specific quality of life (p = 0.031) and higher post-traumatic growth (p = 0.008) were independent predictors of sufficient physical activity at 12 months. The model explained 28.6 % of the variance. Conclusions: Assessment of demographics, health behaviors, and psychosocial functioning following a diagnosis of CRC may help to develop effective physical activity programs.

Hydrothermal synthesis of polycrystalline carbonates

Polycrystals of orthorhobic carbonates RCO3 (R = Sr, Ba and Pb) were synthesised for the first time using formic acid as mineraliser. The unit cell parameters of this synthetic pure carbonates are: BaCO3:a=5.309, B=8.889, C=6.401; srCO3:a=5.108, B=8.420, C=6.040; PbCO3: A=5.176, B=8.511, C=6.137.

A spatially explicit multi-competitor coexistence model of penaeid (shrimp) distribution on the Australian Great Barrier Reef

A spatially explicit multi-competitor coexistence model was developed for meta-populations of prawns (shrimp) occupying habitat patches across the Great Barrier Reef, where dispersal was localised and dispersal rates varied between species. Prawns were modelled as individuals moving to and from patches or cells according to pre-set decision rules. The landscape was simulated as a matrix of cells with each cell having a spatially explicit survival index for each species. Mixed species prawn assemblages moved over this simplified spatially explicit landscape. A low level of chronic random environmental disturbance was assumed (cyclone and tropical storm damage) with additional acute spatially confined disturbance due to commercial trawling, modelled as an increase in mortality affecting inter-specific competition. The general form of the results was for increased disturbance to favour good-colonising "generalist" species at the expense of good-competitor "specialists". Increasing fishing mortality (local patch extinctions) combined with poor colonising ability resulted in low equilibrium abundance for even the best competitor, while in the same circumstances the poorest competitor but best coloniser could have the highest equilibrium abundance. This mimics the switch from high-value prawn species to lower-value prawn species as trawl effort increases, reflected in historic catch and effort logbook data and reported anecdotaly from the north Queensland trawl fleet. To match the observed distribution and behaviour of prawn assemblages, a combination inter-species competition, a spatially explicit landscape, and a defined pattern of disturbance (trawling) was required. Modelling this combination could simulate not only general trends in spatial distribution of each of prawn species but also localised concentrations observed in the survey data

Modelling Leaf Production and Crop Development in Maize (Zea mays L.) After Tassel Initiation Under Diverse Conditions of Temperature and Photoperiod

Prediction of the initiation, appearance and emergence of leaves is critically important to the success of simulation models of crop canopy development and some aspects of crop ontogeny. Data on leaf number and crop ontogeny were collected on five cultivars of maize differing widely in maturity and genetic background grown under natural and extended photoperiods, and planted on seven sowing dates from October 1993 to March 1994 at Gatton, South-east Queensland. The same temperature coefficients were established for crop ontogeny before silking, and the rates of leaf initiation, leaf tip appearance and full leaf expansion, the base, optimum and maximum temperatures for each being 8, 34 and 40 degrees C. After silking, the base temperature for ontogeny was 0 degrees C, but the optimum and maximum temperatures remained unchanged. The rates of leaf initiation, appearance of leaf tips and full leaf expansion varied in a relatively narrow range across sowing times and photoperiod treatments, with average values of 0.040 leaves (degrees Cd)-1, 0.021 leaves (degrees Cd)-1, and 0.019 leaves (degrees Cd)-1, respectively. The relationships developed in this study provided satisfactory predictions of leaf number and crop ontogeny (tassel initiation to silking, emergence to silking and silking to physiological maturity) when assessed using independent data from Gatton (South eastern Queensland), Katherine and Douglas Daly (Northern Territory), Walkamin (North Queensland) and Kununurra (Western Australia).

Mobile assessment of on-road air pollution and its sources along the East-West Highway in Bhutan

Human exposures in transportation microenvironments are poorly represented by ambient stationary monitoring. A number of on-road studies using vehicle-based mobile monitoring have been conducted to address this. Most previous studies were conducted on urban roads in developed countries where the primary emission source was vehicles. Few studies have examined on-road pollution in developing countries in urban settings. Currently, no study has been conducted for roadways in rural environments where a substantial proportion of the population live. This study aimed to characterize on-road air quality on the East-West Highway (EWH) in Bhutan and identify its principal sources. We conducted six mobile measurements of PM10, particle number (PN) count and CO along the entire 570 km length of the EWH. We divided the EWH into five segments, R1-R5, taking the road length between two district towns as a single road segment. The pollutant concentrations varied widely along the different road segments, with the highest concentrations for R5 compared with other road segments (PM10 = 149 µg/m3, PN = 5.74 × 104 particles/cm-3, CO = 0.19 ppm), which is the final segment of the road to the capital. Apart from vehicle emissions, the dominant sources were road works, unpaved roads and roadside combustion activities. Overall, the highest contributions above the background levels were made by unpaved roads for PM10 (6 times background), and vehicle emissions for PN and CO (5 and 15 times background, respectively). Notwithstanding the differences in instrumentation used and particle size range measured, the current study showed lower PN concentrations compared with similar on-road studies. However, concentrations were still high enough that commuters, road maintenance workers and residents living along the EWH, were potentially exposed to elevated pollutant concentrations from combustion and non-combustion sources. Future studies should focus on assessing the dispersion patterns of roadway pollutants and defining the short- and long-term health impacts of exposure in Bhutan, as well as in other developing countries with similar characteristics.

A novel approach to 6-DOF adaptive trajectory tracking control of an AUV in the presence of parameter uncertainties

In this paper, the trajectory tracking control of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUVs) in six-degrees-of-freedom (6-DOFs) is addressed. It is assumed that the system parameters are unknown and the vehicle is underactuated. An adaptive controller is proposed, based on Lyapunov׳s direct method and the back-stepping technique, which interestingly guarantees robustness against parameter uncertainties. The desired trajectory can be any sufficiently smooth bounded curve parameterized by time even if consist of straight line. In contrast with the majority of research in this field, the likelihood of actuators׳ saturation is considered and another adaptive controller is designed to overcome this problem, in which control signals are bounded using saturation functions. The nonlinear adaptive control scheme yields asymptotic convergence of the vehicle to the reference trajectory, in the presence of parametric uncertainties. The stability of the presented control laws is proved in the sense of Lyapunov theory and Barbalat׳s lemma. Efficiency of presented controller using saturation functions is verified through comparing numerical simulations of both controllers.

Structure of (4S)-2,4-dimethyl-1,2-dihydropyrazino[2,1-b]quinazoline-3(4H),6-dione

C13HI3N302, orthorhombic, P2~2121, a = 17.443 (5), b = 11.650 (4), c = 5.784 (1)/~, Z = 4, d m = 1.456, d c = 1.429 Mg m -3, F(000) = 512, g(Cu Ka) = 0.843 mm-L The R index is 0.040 for 1358 significant reflections. The structure is stabilized by C-H...O interactions. The N-methylated eis peptide group which forms part of a six-membered ring is non-planar. The torsion angle about the peptide bond is -6.1 (4) ° and the peptide bond length is 1.337 (3) A.

A comparison of DNA pools constructed following whole genome amplification for two-stage SNP genotyping designs

Genotyping in DNA pools reduces the cost and the time required to complete large genotyping projects. The aim of the present study was to evaluate pooling as part of a strategy for fine mapping in regions of significant linkage. Thirty-nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were analyzed in two genomic DNA pools of 384 individuals each and results compared with data after typing all individuals used in the pools. There were no significant differences using data from either 2 or 8 heterozygous individuals to correct frequency estimates for unequal allelic amplification. After correction, the mean difference between estimates from the genomic pool and individual allele frequencies was .033. A major limitation of the use of DNA pools is the time and effort required to carefully adjust the concentration of each individual DNA sample before mixing aliquots. Pools were also constructed by combining DNA after Multiple Displacement Amplification (MDA). The MDA pools gave similar results to pools constructed after careful DNA quantitation (mean difference from individual genotyping .040) and MDA provides a rapid method to generate pools suitable for some applications. Pools provide a rapid and cost-effective screen to eliminate SNPs that are not polymorphic in a test population and can detect minor allele frequencies as low as 1% in the pooled samples. With current levels of accuracy, pooling is best suited to an initial screen in the SNP validation process that can provide high-throughput comparisons between cases and controls to prioritize SNPs for subsequent individual genotyping.

Deviant near-infrared spectra identifies Corymbia hybrids

The study examined the potential of Near Infrared Reflectance (NIR) spectroscopy for field diagnosis of hybrids between Corymbia (formerly Eucalyptus) species. NIR profiles were generated by scanning foliage from a total of 383 hybrid and 533 parental seedlings grown in a common garden and partial least squares discriminant analysis was used to test three-way model power to assign individuals to their appropriate taxon; either a parental or F1 hybrid class. Using the optimised conditions, fresh foliage from eight-month-old seedlings and a handheld NIR instrument (950–1800 nm), the mean assignment rates for the three hybrid groups ranged from 76% to 90%. Hybrid-parent contrast of NIR spectra deviated more so than parent–parent contrast. The F1 taxon assignment rates were usually higher than those for parents at 100% and 72%, respectively. Hybrid resolution was even greater for 2nd generation backcross hybrids. Similar to studies of morphology, taxon assignments tended to be more accurate for hybrid groups in which the parental taxa were more divergent. The practical application of this technique for hybrid diagnosis of seedlings in the nursery will require careful attention to control environmental factors because seedling age and storage effects influenced the ability of NIR to identify hybrids. The technique may also necessitate the generation of comparable reference populations, although exclusions approaches to analysis may circumvent the need for reference populations. The application of NIR in field diagnosis will be further complicated by the need to generate global models across environments but such models have been obtained for reliable prediction of chemistries in other situations.

Animal-Level Factors Affecting Ovarian Function in Bos indicus Heifers Treated to Synchronize Ovulation with Intravaginal Progesterone-Releasing Devices and Oestradiol Benzoate

The primary objective of this study was to investigate the impact of animal-level factors including energy balance and environmental/management stress, on the ovarian function of Bos indicus heifers treated to synchronize ovulation. Two-year-old Brahman (BN) (n = 30) and BN-cross (n = 34) heifers were randomly allocated to three intravaginal progesterone-releasing device (IPRD) treatment groups: (i) standard-dose IPRD [Cue-Mate (R) (CM) 1.56 g; n = 17]; (ii) half-dose IPRD [0.78 g progesterone (P4); CM 0.78 g; n = 15]; (iii) half-dose IPRD + 300 IU equine chorionic gonadotrophin at IPRD removal (CM 0.78 g + G; n = 14); (iv) and a control group, 2x PGF2a [500 mu g prostaglandin F2a (PGF2a)] on Day -16 and -2 (n = 18). Intravaginal progesterone-releasing device-treated heifers received 250 mu g PGF2a at IPRD insertion (Day -10) and IPRD removal (Day -2) and 1 mg oestradiol benzoate on Day -10 and -1. Heifers were managed in a small feedlot and fed a defined ration. Ovarian function was evaluated by ultrasonography and plasma P4 throughout the synchronized and return cycles. Energy balance was evaluated using plasma insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-I) and glucose concentrations. The impact of environmental stressors was evaluated using plasma cortisol concentration. Heifers that had normal ovarian function had significantly higher IGF-I concentrations at commencement of the experiment (p = 0.008) and significantly higher plasma glucose concentrations at Day -2 (p = 0.040) and Day 4 (p = 0.043), than heifers with abnormal ovarian function. There was no difference between the mean pre-ovulatory cortisol concentrations of heifers that ovulated or did not ovulate. However, heifers that ovulated had higher cortisol concentrations at Day 4 (p = 0.056) and 6 (p = 0.026) after ovulation than heifers that did not ovulate.

Estimating Hydrogen Cyanide in Forage Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy

Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) is a toxic chemical that can potentially cause mild to severe reactions in animals when grazing forage sorghum. Developing technologies to monitor the level of HCN in the growing crop would benefit graziers, so that they can move cattle into paddocks with acceptable levels of HCN. In this study, we developed near-infrared spectroscopy (MRS) calibrations to estimate HCN in forage sorghum and hay. The full spectral NIRS range (400-2498 nm) was used as well as specific spectral ranges within the full spectral range, i.e., visible (400-750 nm), shortwave (800-1100 nm) and near-infrared (NIR) (1100-2498 nm). Using the full spectrum approach and partial least-squares (PLS), the calibration produced a coefficient of determination (R-2) = 0.838 and standard error of cross-validation (SECV) = 0.040%, while the validation set had a R-2 = 0.824 with a low standard error of prediction (SEP = 0.047%). When using a multiple linear regression (MLR) approach, the best model (NIR spectra) produced a R-2 = 0.847 and standard error of calibration (SEC) = 0.050% and a R-2 = 0.829 and SEP = 0.057% for the validation set. The MLR models built from these spectral regions all used nine wavelengths. Two specific wavelengths 2034 and 2458 nm were of interest, with the former associated with C=O carbonyl stretch and the latter associated with C-N-C stretching. The most accurate PLS and MLR models produced a ratio of standard error of prediction to standard deviation of 3.4 and 3.0, respectively, suggesting that the calibrations could be used for screening breeding material. The results indicated that it should be feasible to develop calibrations using PLS or MLR models for a number of users, including breeding programs to screen for genotypes with low HCN, as well as graziers to monitor crop status to help with grazing efficiency.

Structure of (4S)-2,4-dimethyl-1,2-dihydropyrazino[2,1-b]quinazoline-3(4H),6-dione

C13HI3N302, orthorhombic, P2~2121, a = 17.443 (5), b = 11.650 (4), c = 5.784 (1)/~, Z = 4, d m = 1.456, d c = 1.429 Mg m -3, F(000) = 512, g(Cu Ka) = 0.843 mm-L The R index is 0.040 for 1358 significant reflections. The structure is stabilized by C-H...O interactions. The N-methylated eis peptide group which forms part of a six-membered ring is non-planar. The torsion angle about the peptide bond is -6.1 (4) ° and the peptide bond length is 1.337 (3) A.

Critical review on the stability of illicit drugs in sewers and wastewater samples

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) applies advanced analytical methods to quantify drug residues in wastewater with the aim to estimate illicit drug use at the population level. Transformation processes during transport in sewers (chemical and biological reactors) and storage of wastewater samples before analysis are expected to change concentrations of different drugs to varying degrees. Ignoring transformation for drugs with low to medium stability will lead to an unknown degree of systematic under- or overestimation of drug use, which should be avoided. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge related to the stability of commonly investigated drugs and, furthermore, suggest a more effective approach to future experiments. From over 100 WBE studies, around 50 mentioned the importance of stability and 24 included tests in wastewater. Most focused on in-sample stability (i.e., sample preparation, preservation and storage) and some extrapolated to in-sewer stability (i.e., during transport in real sewers). While consistent results were reported for rather stable compounds (e.g., MDMA and methamphetamine), a varying range of stability under different or similar conditions was observed for other compounds (e.g., cocaine, amphetamine and morphine). Wastewater composition can vary considerably over time, and different conditions prevail in different sewer systems. In summary, this indicates that more systematic studies are needed to: i) cover the range of possible conditions in sewers and ii) compare results more objectively. To facilitate the latter, we propose a set of parameters that should be reported for in-sewer stability experiments. Finally, a best practice of sample collection, preservation, and preparation before analysis is suggested in order to minimize transformation during these steps.

The structures of ethyl 1,2,2-tricyano-3,3-dimethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylate and ethyl 2',3,3'-tricyanocyclohexanespirocyclopropane-2'-carboxylate

The crystal and molecular structures of C ,,H,IN302 (I) and C14HIsN302 (II) have been determined by direct methods using three-dimensional X-ray diffractometer data. Crystals of (I) are orthorhombic, space group Pna21, with a = 14.662(6), b = 10.492(5), c = 7.375 (3)A, Z = 4, V = 1134.5 A 3, D O = 1.25 (by flotation), D e = 1.269 Mgm -a, g(MoKa) = 0.085 mm -1. Crystals of (II) are monoclinic, space group P21/a, with a = 7.886 (5), b = 22.011 (8), c = 8.100 (3) A, fl = 103.12 (5) °, Z = 4, V = 1369.2 A 3, D O = 1.23 (by flotation), D e = 1.255 Mg m -3, g(Mo Kct) = 0.080 mm -1. Least-squares full-matrix refinement based on 782 (I) and 1400 independent reflections (II) converged at R = 0.040 (I) and 0.042 (II). The effect of electron-withdrawing substituents on the geometry of the cyclopropane ring is discussed.