A qualitative study of environmental factors important for physical activity in rural adults

PURPOSE: Despite increasing evidence that the physical environment impacts on physical activity among urban-dwellers, little attention has been devoted to understanding this relationship in rural populations. Work in this area is further hindered by a lack of environmental measures specifically designed for rural settings. This qualitative study aimed to explore the salience of urban physical activity environment constructs among rural adults. METHODS: In 2011, 49 rural men and women from three distinct areas (coastal, animal-based farming, forestry/plant-based farming) of rural Tasmania, Australia, were purposively recruited to participate in semi-structured interviews. Interviews explored features of the built and social environment commonly examined in studies of urban adults, including functional characteristics (eg, lighting, footpaths, roads/verges), road and personal safety, availability and accessibility of places to be active, destinations, and aesthetics. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using a content-thematic approach using QSR NVivo software. FINDINGS: While some urban environmental constructs were salient to these rural adults, such as availability of and accessibility to places to be active, some constructs were operationalised differently, such as road safety (where large trucks and winding roads rather than traffic density was of concern), or were not considered relevant (eg, personal safety related to crime, availability of walkable destinations, aesthetics). CONCLUSIONS: The measurement of the physical environment in rural populations may require reconsideration and/or modification to ensure salience and appropriate quantification of associations with physical activity in future studies.

Assessing the validity of tympanic temperature to predict core temperature of firefighters in different environmental conditions

The present study examined the validity of tympanic temperature measurements as a predictor of core temperature on the fireground in different environmental conditions. Fiftyone volunteer firefighters participated in the study across four different conditions, the conditions consisted of; 1) passive (i.e., no intervention) cooling in cold ambient temperatures (0-6°C); 2) cooling (through water immersion) in cool ambient temperatures (10-12ºC); 3) cooling (through water immersion) in warm ambient temperatures (21.5°C); and, 4) passive cooling in warm ambient temperatures (22°C). Firefighters wore full structural personal protective clothing while performing common firefighting duties including search and rescue tasks for 20-40 minutes. There was no difference between core and tympanic temperature immediately post-exercise across any condition. However, for all conditions, tympanic temperature dropped significantly faster than core temperature from 0 minutes, and remained significantly lower (p < 0.05) than core temperature from nine to 20 minutes post-training. The results show that there is no consistent difference between core and tympanic temperature during recovery from a simulated firefighting task across a range of different ambient conditions. Agencies should, accordingly, prioritize investigating other practical markers of core temperature as part of a broader heat stress management plan for firefighters.

Cardiovascular risk screening of volunteer firefighters

Background: The work demands involved in firefighting place significant stress on the cardiovascular system. This study investigated the application of the AHA/ACSM Health/Fitness Facility Preparticipation Screening Questionnaire in volunteer Country Fire Brigade (CFA) firefighters. Methods: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors were measured in 3777 CFA firefighters and entered into a modified version of the American Heart Association (AHA)/ACSM Health/Fitness Facility Preparticipation Screening Questionnaire to stratify individuals as low, moderate or high risk. Results: Just over half (50.8%) of female and more than two thirds (68.2%) of male CFA firefighters were classified as moderate risk. The questionnaire further stratified 2.6% of female and 5.2% of male CFA firefighters as high risk while the remaining 46.6% and 26.6% of female and male firefighters, respectively, were classified as low risk. Conclusion: The majority of firefighters screened were at moderate risk and therefore, would be advised by AHA/ACSM guidelines to undertake and pass a detailed medical examination and a medically supervised exercise test prior to initiating vigorous intensity physical activity. However, considering the financial and practical implications (e.g., reduced emergency response capacity) the introduction of mandatory screening may cause, fire agencies should focus screening for high risk personnel only, while promoting agency wide CVD health education.

Eutrofização do Reservatório Cruzeta na bacia representativa do rio Seridó RN

Eutrophication has been listed as one of the main problems of water pollution on a global level. In the Brazilian semi-arid areas this problem takes even greater proportions due to characteristical water scarcity of the region. It is extremely important to the predictive eutrophication models development and to the reservoirs management in the semi-arid region, studies that promotes understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the expansion and control of algae blooms, essential for improving the water quality of these environments. The present study had as its main aims, evaluate the temporal pattern of trophic state, considering the influence of nutrients (N and P) and the light availability in the water column in the development of phytoplankton biomass, and perform the mathematical modelling of changes in phosphorus and chlorophyll a concentrations in the Cruzeta man-made lake located on Seridó, a typical semi-arid region of Rio Grande do Norte. To this, a fortnightly monitoring was performed in the reservoir in 05 stations over the months of March 2007 to May 2008. Were measured the concentrations of total phosphorus, total organic nitrogen, chlorophyll a, total, fixed and volatile suspended solids, as well as the measure of transparency (Secchi) and the profiles of photosynthetic active radiation (PAR), temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen and electrical conductivity in the water column. Measurements of vertical profiles have shown some periods of chemical and thermal stratification, especially in the rainy season, due to increased water column depth, however, the reservoir can be classified as warm polimitic. During the study period the reservoir was characterized as eutrophic considering the concentrations of phosphorus and most of the time as mesotrophic, based on the concentrations of chlorophyll a, according to the Thornton & Rast (1993) classification. The N:P relations suggest N limitation, conversely, significant linear relationship between the algae biomass and nutrients (N and P) were not observed in our study. However, a relevant event was the negative and significant correlation presented by Kt and chlorophyll a (r ² = 0.83) at the end of the drought of 2007 and the rainy season of 2008, and the algal biomass collapse observed at the end of the drought season (Dec/07). The equation used to simulate the change in the total phosphorus was not satisfactory, being necessary inclusion of parameters able to increase the power of the model prediction. The chlorophyll a simulation presented a good adjustment trend, however there is a need to check the calibrated model parameters and subsequent equation validation

Baixa diversidade de zooplâncton na desembocadura de uma represa eutrófica (SP, Brasil): reflexo da poluição?

The Tiete River (in São Paulo state) receives most of the efuents of the metropolitan region of São Paulo; and the Barra Bonita reservoir, 200 km distant downstream, receives and recycle most of that pollution load. This work studied the ecological features of the zooplankton (Rotifera, Cladocera and Copepoda) sampled in a point of Tiete River's mouth. Monthly samples were collected, from April, 2001 to February, 2008. The hypothesis currently tested was that the composition and availability of zooplankton were similar to the others reservoir regions (middle and lacustrine sensu Thornton) and to other reservoirs of the Upper Parana River basin, supporting the idea that these organisms manage to stand the strong pollution. The reservoir shows a typical variation of accumulation, with wide variation of seasonal altimetric grading and large fow in the rainy pe- riod, infuenced by the rainfall regime, with efects upon zooplankton assemblage. As a whole, 24 species were registered: 12 Rotifera, 8 Cladocera and 4 Copepoda. Data showed that the hypothesis formulated must be rejected, due the variation trends of zooplankton environmental attributes not being regular, with relatively high abundance values for a lotic environment in specifc months, and low organism abundance or absence in other months. Those facts can be attributed to pollution efects conducting to low dissolved oxygen concentration (> 4mg.l-1) in some months, which causes the zooplankton community to be very much afected. [K]

The genomes of two key bumblebee species with primitive eusocial organization

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Differential Expression of Immune Response Genes in Steller Sea Lions (Eumetopias jubatus): An Indicator of Ecosystem Health?

Characterization of the polygenic and polymorphic features of the Steller sea lion major histocompatibility complex (MHC) provides an ideal window for evaluating immunologic vigor of the population and identifying emergence of new genotypes that reflect ecosystem pressures. MHC genotyping can be used to measure the potential immunologic vigor of a population. However, since ecosystem-induced changes to MHC genotype can be slow to emerge, measurement of differential expression of these genes can potentially provide real-time evidence of immunologic perturbations. MHC DRB genes were cloned and sequenced using peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes derived from 10 Steller sea lions from Southeast Alaska, Prince William Sound, and the Aleutian Islands. Nine unique DRB gene sequences were represented in each of 10 animals. MHC DRB gene expression was measured in a subset of six sea lions. Although DRB in genomic DNA was identical in all individuals, relative levels of expressed DRB mRNA was highly variable. Selective suppression of MHC DRB genes could be indicative of geographically disparate environmental pressures, thereby serving as an immediate and sensitive indicator of population and ecosystem health.

RNA Interference of Endochitinases in the Sugarcane Endophyte Trichoderma virens 223 Reduces Its Fitness as a Biocontrol Agent of Pineapple Disease

The sugarcane root endophyte Trichoderma virens 223 holds enormous potential as a sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides in the control of sugarcane diseases. Its efficacy as a biocontrol agent is thought to be associated with its production of chitinase enzymes, including N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidases, chitobiosidases and endochitinases. We used targeted gene deletion and RNA-dependent gene silencing strategies to disrupt N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase and endochitinase activities of the fungus, and to determine their roles in the biocontrol of soil-borne plant pathogens. The loss of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activities was dispensable for biocontrol of the plurivorous damping-off pathogens Rhizoctonia solani and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, and of the sugarcane pathogen Ceratocystis paradoxa, the causal agent of pineapple disease. Similarly, suppression of endochitinase activities had no effect on R. solani and S. sclerotiorum disease control, but had a pronounced effect on the ability of T. virens 223 to control pineapple disease. Our work demonstrates a critical requirement for T. virens 223 endochitinase activity in the biocontrol of C. paradoxa sugarcane disease, but not for general antagonism of other soil pathogens. This may reflect its lifestyle as a sugarcane root endophyte.

Two-dimensional grayscale ultrasound and spectral Doppler waveform evaluation of dogs with chronic enteropathies

Sonography is an important diagnostic tool to examine the gastrointestinal tract of dogs with chronic diarrhea. Two-dimensional grayscale ultrasound parameters to assess for various enteropathies primarily focus on wall thickness and layering. Mild, generalized thickening of the intestinal wall with maintenance of the wall layering is common in inflammatory bowel disease. Quantitative and semi-quantitative spectral Doppler arterial waveform analysis can be utilized for various enteropathies, including inflammatory bowel disease and food allergies. Dogs with inflammatory bowel disease have inadequate hemodynamic responses during digestion of food. Dogs with food allergies have prolonged vasodilation and lower resistive and pulsatility indices after eating allergen-inducing foods.

Endoscopic ultrasound of the canine abdomen

The aim of this study was to develop a standardized procedure for examination of the canine abdomen using endoscopic ultrasound and to describe the organs and structures that could be identified transgastrically. The abdomen of four healthy dogs and two cadavers were examined with endoscopic ultrasound. Five anatomic landmarks were used for standardized imaging of the cranial abdomen. These were the portal vein, splenic head and body, duodenum, left kidney, and aorta. High-resolution images of the following organs and structures could be made: distal esophagus, gastric wall from the cardia to the pylorus, liver, caudal vena cava, hepatic lymph nodes, liver hilus, and associated vessels, trifurcation of the celiac artery as well as the path of its branches and the left pancreatic limb and body. Structures that were more difficult to image were the distal duodenum and right pancreatic limb, the entire jejunum, ileum, and cecum as well as the tail of the spleen. Endoscopic ultrasound allowed excellent visualization of the gastric wall and regional structures without interference with gas artefacts. Centrally located organs such as the pancreas could be well examined transgastrically with endoscopic ultrasound without interference by overlying intestinal segments as is common with transabdominal ultrasound.

The Acropolitan - v. 1, no. 5

In this issue...Big Butte, M Days, Thornton Hotel, Butte, Montana, Hennessy's, Anaconda Copper Mining Geological Department, Gamer's Cafe

The Acropolitan - v. 2, no. 4

In this issue... "M" Club, Mining District Basketball Tournament, Butte High School, Butte Central High School, Butte, Montana, Bob Nesbitt, Northern Pacific Railway, Co-ed Dance

The Acropolitan - v. 2, no. 5

In this issue...School of Mines Smoker, Handball Tournament, Anaconda Copper Mining Company, Thornton Hotel, President Coolidge, Clark Park, Butte, Montana, Professor Simons