Effects of aerobic exercise training on heart rate variability during wakefulness and sleep and cardiorespiratory responses of young and middle-aged healthy men

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of aerobic physical training (APT) on heart rate variability (HRV) and cardiorespiratory responses at peak condition and ventilatory anaerobic threshold. Ten young (Y: median = 21 years) and seven middle-aged (MA = 53 years) healthy sedentary men were studied. Dynamic exercise tests were performed on a cycloergometer using a continuous ramp protocol (12 to 20 W/min) until exhaustion. A dynamic 24-h electrocardiogram was analyzed by time (TD) (standard deviation of mean R-R intervals) and frequency domain (FD) methods. The power spectral components were expressed as absolute (a) and normalized units (nu) at low (LF) and high (HF) frequencies and as the LF/HF ratio. Control (C) condition: HRV in TD (Y: 108, MA: 96 ms; P<0.05) and FD - LFa, HFa - was significantly higher in young (1030; 2589 ms²/Hz) than in middle-aged men (357; 342 ms²/Hz) only during sleep (P<0.05); post-training effects: resting bradycardia (P<0.05) in the awake condition in both groups; VO2 increased for both groups at anaerobic threshold (P<0.05), and at peak condition only in young men; HRV in TD and FD (a and nu) was not significantly changed by training in either groups. The vagal predominance during sleep is reduced with aging. The resting bradycardia induced by short-term APT in both age groups suggests that this adaptation is much more related to intrinsic alterations in sinus node than in efferent vagal-sympathetic modulation. Furthermore, the greater alterations in VO2 than in HRV may be related to short-term APT.

Examining life-course influences on chronic disease: the importance of birth cohort studies from low- and middle- income countries. An overview

The objectives of this overview are to describe the past and potential contributions of birth cohorts to understanding chronic disease aetiology; advance a justification for the maintenance of birth cohorts from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC); provide an audit of birth cohorts from LMIC; and, finally, offer possible future directions for this sphere of research. While the contribution of birth cohorts from affluent societies to understanding disease aetiology has been considerable, we describe several reasons to anticipate why the results from such studies might not be directly applied to LMIC. More than any other developing country, Brazil has a tradition of establishing, maintaining and exploiting birth cohort studies. The clear need for a broader geographical representation may be precipitated by a greater collaboration worldwide in the sharing of ideas, fieldwork experience, and cross-country cohort data comparisons in order to carry out the best science in the most efficient manner. This requires the involvement of a central overseeing body - such as the World Health Organization - that has the respect of all countries and the capacity to develop strategic plans for `global' life-course epidemiology while addressing such issues as data-sharing. For rapid progress to be made, however, there must be minimal bureaucratic entanglements.

Acute effects of resistance exercise and intermittent intense aerobic exercise on blood cell count and oxidative stress in trained middle-aged women

The aim of this study was to compare the effect of an intermittent intense aerobic exercise session and a resistance exercise session on blood cell counts and oxidative stress parameters in middle-aged women. Thirty-four women were selected and divided into three groups: RE group (performing 60 min of resistance exercises, N = 12), spinning group (performing 60 min of spinning, N = 12), and control group (not exercising regularly, N = 10). In both exercise groups, lymphocytes and monocytes decreased after 1-h recuperation (post-exercise) compared to immediately after exercise (P < 0.05). Immediately after exercise, in both exercised groups, a significant increase in TBARS (from 16.5 ± 2 to 25 ± 2 for the spinning group and from 18.6 ± 1 to 28.2 ± 3 nmol MDA/mL serum for the RE group) and protein carbonyl (from 1.0 ± 0.3 to 1.6 ± 0.2 for the spinning group and from 0.9 ± 0.2 to 1.5 ± 0.2 nmol/mg protein for the RE group) was observed (P < 0.05). A decrease in antioxidant activities (non-protein sulfhydryl, superoxide dismutase, catalase) was also demonstrated with a negative correlation between damage markers and antioxidant body defenses (P < 0.05). These results indicate that an acute bout of intermittent or anaerobic exercise induces immune suppression and increases the production of reactive oxygen species, causing oxidative stress in middle-aged and trained women. Furthermore, we demonstrated that trained women show improved antioxidant capacity and lower oxidative damage than sedentary ones, demonstrating the benefits of chronic regular physical activity.

A Diachronic Study of the Practises of Translation of Gerunds and Gerundives from Latin into Old English and Middle English in History Narratives

This is a philologically oriented thesis which studies the possible adoption of a grammatical feature from one language into another from historical linguistic perspective. The foci of the study are, on the one hand, the Latin gerund and gerundive and, on the other hand, the English gerund. The material of this study consists of excerpts from two British history narratives in Latin and from the Old English and Middle English translations of these history narratives. The British history narratives selected for the material of this thesis are the 8th century Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum by Bede and the 14th century Polychronicon by Ranulf Higden. Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum has been compared with its Old English translation from the 11th century, the author of which is unknown. The Polychronicon, on the other hand, has been compared with two different Middle English translations: one from the 14th century, by John Trevisa; the other from the 15th century, the author of which is also unknown. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate whether the gerund, which was adopted into English by the Middle English period, has been used to translate the Latin gerunds and gerundives. At the basis of the study is the hypothesis that the English gerund has been used to translate the Latin gerunds and gerundives at least occasionally. The methodology of this thesis consists of detailed and qualitative study of the primary material. The primary material has been studied from synchronic, diachronic and paratextual perspective. The results of this thesis confirm that the English gerund has occasionally been used to translate the Latin gerunds and gerundives. The instances that confirm with the hypothesis are so rare, however, that the relationship between the English gerund and the Latin gerund and gerundive seems to be indirect or at least enshadowed by wide-ranging grammatical differences.

Electrophysiological correlates of performance monitoring in middle and late adolescence

The ability to monitor and evaluate the consequences of ongoing behaviors and coordinate behavioral adjustments seems to rely on networks including the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and phasic changes in dopamine activity. Activity (and presumably functional maturation) of the ACC may be indirectly measured using the error-related negativity (ERN), an event-related potential (ERP) component that is hypothesized to reflect activity of the automatic response monitoring system. To date, no studies have examined the measurement reliability of the ERN as a trait-like measure of response monitoring, its development in mid- and late- adolescence as well as its relation to risk-taking and empathic ability, two traits linked to dopaminergic and ACC activity. Utilizing a large sample of 15- and 18-year-old males, the present study examined the test-retest reliability of the ERN, age-related changes in the ERN and other components of the ERP associated with error monitoring (the Pe and CRN), and the relations of the error-related ERP components to personality traits of risk propensity and empathy. Results indicated good test-retest reliability of the ERN providing important validation of the ERN as a stable and possibly trait-like electrophysiological correlate of performance monitoring. Ofthe three components, only the ERN was of greater amplitude for the older adolescents suggesting that its ACC network is functionally late to mature, due to either structural or neurochemical changes with age. Finally, the ERN was smaller for those with high risk propensity and low empathy, while other components associated with error monitoring were not, which suggests that poor ACe function may be associated with the desire to engage in risky behaviors and the ERN may be influenced by the extent of individuals' concern with the outcome of events.

Will the "fight" ever end? : a critical reading of the metaphors and discourses that construct HIV/AIDS in an African context

In this thesis, I critically examine the discourses that inform how we conceptualise HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa as they are produced in a sample of Canadian news articles, two nonfiction texts - Stephanie Nolen's 28 Stories of AIDS in Africa and Jonathan Morgan and the Bambanani Women's Group's Long Life ... Positive HIV Stories - as well as two literary texts - John Le Carre's popular fiction novel The Constant Gardener and an anthology of stories and poems from Southern Africa titled Nobody Ever Said AIDS, compiled and edited by Nobantu Rasebotsa, Meg Samuelson and Kylie Thomas. Paying particular attention to the role of metaphor in discursive formation, I have found that military metaphors, usually used in conjunction with biomedical discourses, continue to dominate what is said about HIV/AIDS. However, the use of military metaphors to conceptualise HIV/AIDS contributes to stigma and limits the effectiveness of responses to the pandemic. I argue that accessing alternative metaphors and discourses, such as biopsychosocial discourse, can lead to a more layered - and more beneficial - conceptualisation of HIV/AIDS, encouraging a more active response to the pandemic.

Microstructural and geochemical investigation of North American lower-middle Paleozoic trilobites and recent arthropods

Trilobites ¥tere collected from Ordovician and Devonian formations of Ontario} New York} Ohio} Oklahoma} and Indiana. Diversity was generally low} but 19..?telllS and Ph..~tY>ps ¥tere the most abundant species from the Ordovician and Devonian} respectively. Recent marine arthropods ¥tere collected from the Atlantic shore of the middle Florida Keys} and from the Pacific and lagoonal waters at Cape Beale} B. C. Fresh-water arthropods were collected along the shore of the Severn River in northcentral Ontario. Cuticles ¥tere analyzed for major} minor and trace elements, 180 and 13C isotopes, as ¥tell as examined by scanning electron micr?scope to identify original and diagenetic fabrics. Examination of trilobite cuticles by scanning electron microscope revealed several microstructures consistent with those observed in Recent arthropods. Microstructures} such as setae and tegumental gland duct openings} in like sized Lim/IllS and Isoteline trilobites may indicate common ancestral origins for these organisms, or simply parallel cuticle evolutions. The dendritic microstructure, originally' thought to be a diagenetic indicator, was found in Recent specimens and therefore its presence in trilobites may be suggestive of the delicate nature of diagenesis in trilobites. The absence of other primary microstructures in trilobites may indicate alteration, taxonomic control} or that there is some inherent feature of S EM examination which may' not allow detection of some features} while others are apparently visit·le onl~1 under SH.·1. The region of the cuticle sampled for examination is also a major influence in detecting pristine microstructures, as not all areas of trilobite and Recent arthropod cuticles will have microstructures identifiable in a SEM study. Subtleties in the process of alteration, however} ma~·· leave pristine microstructures in cuticles that are partial~/ silicified or do 10m itized, and degree and type of alteration may vary stratigraphically and longitudinally within a unit. The presence of fused matrices, angular calcite rhombs, and pyrite in the cuticle are thought to be indicative of altered cuticles, although pyritization may not affect the entire cuticle. t-~atural processes in Recent arthropods, such as molting, lead to variations in cuticle chemistries, and are thought to reflect the area of concentration of the elements during calcification. The level of sodium in Recent arthropods was found to be higher than that in trilobites, but highly mobile when sUbjected to the actions of VY'€'athering. Less saline water produced lovy'€'r magnesium and higher calcium values in Recent specimens .. and metal variations in pristine Ordovician trilobite cuticle appears to follow the constraints outlined for Recent arthropods, of regulation due to the chemislry of the surrounding medium. In diagenetic analysis, sodium, strontium and magnesium proved most beneficial in separating altered from least altered trilobites. Using this criterion, specimens from shale show the least amount of geochemical alteration, and have an original mineralogy of 1.7 - 2.4 mole % MgC03 (8000 t(> 9500 ppm magnesium) for both /s>..?/e/11S lJA'i.riff!11S and PseIAit'11J17ites I..itmirpin..itl/~ and 2.8 - 3.3 mole % MgC03 (5000 to 7000 ppm magnesium) for Ph.i{).?PS This is Slightly lower than the mineralogy of Recent marine arthropods (4.43 - 12.1 mole % MgC03), and slightly higher than that of fresh-water crayfish (0.96 - 1.82 mole % MgC03). Geochemically pristine trilobites were also found to possess primary microstructures. Stable isotope values and trends support the assertion that marine-meteoriclburial fluids were responsible for the alteration observed in a number of the trilobite specimens. The results of this stUdy suggest that fossil material has to be evaluated separately along taxonomic and lithological lines to arrive at sensible diagenetic and e nvironmenta I interpretations.

Resolutions reported by the Military Committee, expressive of the thanks of Congress to Major General Jackson, and the troops under his command, for their gallantry and good conduct, in the defence of New Orleans.--

February 13, 1815. Printed by order of the Senate of the United States.

Resolutions reported by the Military Committee, expressive of the thanks of Congress to Major General Jackson, and the troops under his command, for their gallantry and good conduct, in the defence of New Orleans

February 13, 1815. Printed by order of the Senate of the United States. Printed by Roger C. Weightman

Pay roll voucher #13 from the Engineer Department of Port Dalhousie and Thorold Railway Extension for the Northern Division for the month of April, 1857 approved by F. Shanly, chief engineer and W.G. Thompson, assistant engineer, April 27, 1857

Pay roll voucher #13 from the Engineer Department of Port Dalhousie and Thorold Railway Extension for the Northern Division for the month of April, 1857 approved by F. Shanly, chief engineer and W.G. Thompson, assistant engineer, April 27, 1857.

Pay roll voucher #14 from the Engineer Department of Port Dalhousie and Thorold Railway Extension for the Southern Division for the month of April, 1857 approved by F. Shanly, chief engineer and Francis A. Doyle, assistant engineer, April 28, 1857

Pay roll voucher #14 from the Engineer Department of Port Dalhousie and Thorold Railway Extension for the Southern Division for the month of April, 1857 approved by F. Shanly, chief engineer and Francis A. Doyle, assistant engineer, April 28, 1857.

Pay roll voucher # 17 from the Engineer Department of Port Dalhousie and Thorold Railway Extension, for the Northern Division for the month of May, 1857, approved by F. Shanly, chief engineer and W.G. Thompson, assistant engineer, May 27, 1857

Pay roll voucher # 17 from the Engineer Department of Port Dalhousie and Thorold Railway Extension, for the Northern Division for the month of May, 1857, approved by F. Shanly, chief engineer and W.G. Thompson, assistant engineer, May 27, 1857.

Pay roll voucher #18 from the Engineer Department of Port Dalhousie and Thorold Railway Extension, for the Southern Division approved by F. Shanly, chief engineer and F.A. Doyle assistant engineer, May 31, 1857

Pay roll voucher #18 from the Engineer Department of Port Dalhousie and Thorold Railway Extension, for the Southern Division approved by F. Shanly, chief engineer and F.A. Doyle assistant engineer, May 31, 1857.

Voucher from the Engineer Department of Port Dalhousie and Thorold Railway Extension for W.G. Thompson for the Northern Division. There are attached notes from the Welland Railway Company to John Mitchell for putting up shelves; to William Waud, staff; and to William Martin to repair the office (copy), June 10, 1857

Voucher from the Engineer Department of Port Dalhousie and Thorold Railway Extension for W.G. Thompson for the Northern Division. There are attached notes from the Welland Railway Company to John Mitchell for putting up shelves; to William Waud, staff; and to William Martin to repair the office (copy), June 10, 1857.

Pay roll voucher #20 from the Engineer Department of Port Dalhousie and Thorold Railway Extension, for the Northern Division approved by F. Shanly, chief engineer and W.G. Thompson, assistant engineer (copy) June 1857

Pay roll voucher #20 from the Engineer Department of Port Dalhousie and Thorold Railway Extension, for the Northern Division approved by F. Shanly, chief engineer and W.G. Thompson, assistant engineer (copy) June 1857.