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Objective: This paper examines the ways in which young people in Eastern Canada learn about menstruation and construct personal period pedagogies through embodied experiences and encounters with digital and social media. Design: A qualitative exploratory approach was undertaken to elicit the stories and voices of young people who menstruate. Menstruation is conceptualised as a deeply bio-social phenomenon and knowledge was understood as created, contested and negotiated across settings and contexts. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine university students (ages 19-23 years) in Eastern Canada as part of a pilot project informing a broader study about menstruation education and menstrual experiences. To be eligible for inclusion, participants were required to have experienced one menstrual cycle in the past 6 months and engaged with social media at least once per week. Setting: This project was conducted in a small University town in Maritime Canada. Results: Young people interviewed learned about menstruation through knowledges assembled from conversations family members and peers, educational and medical settings and content encountered on social and digital media. Three themes were developed from the analysis. The first two capture how young people actively try to 'Fill in the Gaps' left by conventional menstrual education approaches and therefore turn to informal and narrative knowledges circulating on social media in efforts to answer the question 'Am I normal'. The third theme describes how participants actively 'Balance Authority and Intimacy' when seeking menstrual information that resonates with their embodied experiences. Conclusion: Substantial gaps exist in the menstrual knowledges available to young people, particularly in relation to the embodied and emotional dimensions of having and managing a period. Digital and social media have the capacity to contribute to personal period pedagogies by acknowledging and exploring aspects of menstruation not adequately addressed in other contexts.

Previous research indicates that menopause can be an extremely difficult transition for some autistic people. This study asks how autistic people experience menopause and how they can better access services, support and information; autistic Community Research Associates played an important role in each stage of the research. Online focus groups and interviews were conducted with 24 autistic participants who lived in Canada (n = 13) or the United Kingdom (n = 11) and had experience with the menopausal transition. Transcripts were coded and analysed by four team members using reflexive thematic analysis. Four themes and eight subthemes were identified: (1) Complexity, multiplicity and intensity of symptoms (0 subthemes); (2) Life experience and adversity converging at midlife (three subthemes); (3) The importance of knowledge and connection (two subthemes); and (4) Barriers to support and care (three subthemes). Limitations include a potential sample bias towards difficult experiences of menopause. The majority of our sample had a late diagnosis or discovery of autism, and their experiences might not generalize to wider autistic populations. This research may help autistic people prepare for menopause and recognize symptoms earlier. Hearing about the experiences of others may let autistic people who struggle with menopause know they are not alone.

Human anatomy is a key subject area within undergraduate kinesiology programs. However, literature detailing the course structures, available resources, and teaching approaches used to deliver anatomy education in kinesiology programs is lacking. The present study sought to address this deficit by surveying instructors in Canadian university and college kinesiology programs regarding the anatomy courses they offer. The median (IQR) reported enrollment across 48 courses (40% response rate) was 165 (155) students and the mean (±SD) student/instructor ratio was 20:1 (±9) for the laboratory/tutorial sessions. Systemic or regional approaches to teaching were utilized in 39.6% of courses each, while 20.8% used both. Weekly contact times for in-person lectures and laboratories were 2.7 (±0.5) hours and 1.9 (±0.8) hours, respectively. Written assessments accounted for 64% (±20) of students' final grades, while practical tests accounted for 29% (±18). Joints and the skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems were the most covered units (>85% of courses). The most common resources available to students were atlases, plastic models, skeletons, and interactive software; human cadaver dissection was used in 7% of courses. Primary instructors for 95.5% of courses were permanent faculty/staff, but student assistants were utilized in half the courses, mostly for marking and laboratory activities. Overall, these results add considerably to the literature from allied health disciplines and fill a deficit in studies on the teaching methods and resources used for human anatomy education within Canadian undergraduate kinesiology programs. Accordingly, these findings may be used to inform curriculum design and best practices in anatomy course delivery.

Engineering students enter a challenging sector in higher education and are potentially at risk of poor mental health and or mental wellbeing and less likely to seek help when experiencing poor mental health or wellbeing. We carried out a scoping review using Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review methodology. Ten databases were searched over a three-year period. Searches identified 191 sources of evidence after title screening and 33 sources of evidence were included for final extraction following full-text screening. Included studies represented over 4000 engineering students from 10 countries. Studies were mostly pilots, suggesting a lack of diverse research methods in the existing research base. Studies also varied in approaches to reporting. Interventions included training, relaxation, technology use, alternative teaching models, support services and a study break with a range of outcome measures used to evaluate intervention effects. Study results indicated reduced stress and anxiety, improved academic achievement, improved communication, motivation, physiological responses, attitude, and increased physical activity, health awareness, and confidence. Mindfulness activities appear to be helpful to engineering students. The review mapped interventions to support mental health and wellbeing in engineering students but identified a need for further high-quality robust studies that are transparently reported using reporting guidelines.

Educational programs that incorporate social emotional-learning (SEL) strategies, study skills, and mindful breathing using biofeedback can help adolescents decrease worry and social stress, increase test preparedness self-efficacy, and improve academic performance due to lowered levels of test anxiety. The current study examined the efficacy of a SEL intervention (implemented into a high school psychology course) focused on study skills and mindful breathing and its impact on student attitude and behavioural changes (e.g., test anxiety, self-efficacy), academic performance, and physical changes. A quasi-experimental explanatory mixed methods study conducted at a rural Alberta high school examined pre- and post-intervention results between two groups of Grades 9-12 students (N = 105) with one group receiving the intervention (mindful breathing sessions, emotional regulation techniques, study and test-taking skills, and coping strategies) while the other received regular programming. Quantitative data included a Test Anxiety Survey (TAS), Student Opinion Survey-Short Form (SOS-SF), and reading comprehension (RC) tests to measure attitude and behavioural changes, followed by qualitative data obtained from student semi-structured interviews and focus groups for further interpretation. Quantitative results from repeated-measures (RM) ANOVAs indicated significant increases in self-efficacy for preparation and test-taking, increased academic achievement, decreased worry about future social stress, and increased positive affect. Effect sizes for significant impacts ranged from 0.45 to 0.65. Qualitative data indicated that students acquired new SEL strategies to help them handle stressful test situations more effectively. The current study addresses topics of interest to educators (e.g., test anxiety, social emotional learning) with a discussion of applications for extension and development of the program in junior and senior high classrooms.

Service learning opportunities allow students to apply their knowledge and skills through engagement with their community. Previous studies have suggested that student-led exercise testing and health screening can benefit both students and their community participants. In a third-year kinesiology course, "Physiological Assessment and Training," students at the University of Prince Edward Island are provided with an introduction to health-focused personal training and develop and manage personalized training programs for community volunteers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of student-led training programs on student learning. A secondary purpose was to investigate the perceptions of community members participating in the program. Community participants included 13 men and 43 women with stable health (mean age: 52.3 ± 10.0 yr). Students led participants through aerobic and musculoskeletal fitness tests before and after completion of a 4-wk student-designed training program based on participants' fitness and interests. Students reported that the program was enjoyable and improved understanding of fitness concepts and confidence in personal training. Community participants rated the programs as enjoyable and appropriate and viewed students as professional and knowledgeable. These results suggest that student-led personal training programs provide meaningful benefits to students and their community volunteers.

Anecdotal data suggest great variation in breadth and depth of skeletal muscle coverage between undergraduate human anatomy (HA) and anatomy and physiology (A&P) courses. This manuscript is the second in a series (Reynolds A, Goodwin M, O'Loughlin V. D. "Adv Physiol Educ" 46: 309-318, 2022. doi:https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00084.2021) that methodically assesses skeletal muscle content coverage across undergraduate HA and A&P courses. The authors developed an online skeletal muscle coverage survey and collected 342 responses worldwide, 156 from instructors of HA courses and 186 from A&P course instructors. Demographic results showed that HA courses are primarily taught at 4-year baccalaureate institutions, have relatively larger class sizes, and are more likely to use human (vs. animal) prosections or dissections. In contrast, A&P courses are primarily taught at community colleges, have relatively smaller class sizes, and are more likely to use animal (vs. human) dissections. HA courses tend to require their students to learn all skeletal muscle aspects (i.e., identification, action, attachments, innervation), whereas A&P courses tend to focus on muscle identification or action only. The proportions of courses that require identification of large, superficial skeletal muscles are similar between the two course types. However, HA courses are more likely to require their students to identify deeper and smaller muscles, including more distal appendicular muscles and pelvic muscles. These differences likely are due, in part, to the more anatomical focus of HA courses and the slightly different student populations between these courses. These findings provide much-needed information about muscular system coverage between HA and A&P courses and may guide instructor discussions about curricula. [For the first article in the series, "General Trends in Skeletal Muscle Coverage in Undergraduate Human Anatomy and Anatomy and Physiology Courses," see EJ1347509.]

Studies show teaching assistants (TAs) can positively influence the learning environment by increasing student comprehension and retention and impacting students' choices of academic and career paths. However, use of TAs in higher education is not universal. Following a fruitful panel discussion at the 2017 HAPS Conference, we conducted a survey to assess the prevalence of undergraduate and graduate TAs in human anatomy and physiology courses across a range of institutions and to evaluate how TAs are recruited, trained and compensated. Data from 329 respondents who used TAs, indicate most institutions use a formal application process, training procedures vary, and most TAs are compensated financially through hourly wages, stipends, or tuition credit. However, some TAs are unpaid but receive course credit as compensation. We highlight one of the more successful recruiting and training programs, where paid master TAs mentor unpaid apprentice TAs. This tiered training program excites and motivates student leadership, maintains high academic standards, and alleviates the lead instructor from continually training novice TAs.

Canadian post-secondary institutions are increasingly introducing a fall break into their term calendars, with the stated goal of reducing student stress and improving academic success. We conducted a pilot study around the time of this fall break during which we collected saliva samples to measure the ratio of two metabolic hormones (cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)) from first-year male engineering students in order to document possible changes in their stress levels before and after the break. Participants self-identified a particular day in the week prior to the break that they considered to be most stressful, followed by a day in the week after the break that was perceived to be equally stress-inducing. A control sample of student engineers was recruited from another university with equivalent academic rigour but without a fall break. Students who experienced the fall break exhibited a marginally lower ratio of cortisol to DHEA after the break than did those who did not experience the break indicating a difference in psychological stress. Since fall breaks are now increasing in popularity, we make the recommendation that it is imperative to empirically investigate their impact on student mental health.

There is much in the literature about the perks and pitfalls of introducing lecture capture technology (LCT) into the classroom, with recommendations and guidelines as well as mixed reports outlining the ensuing expected and unexpected, in terms of positive and negative outcomes. With the goal of providing another student study resource, LCT was introduced into five large anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology courses at the University of British Columbia Okanagan. Some literature guidelines were followed, including: i) introduce LCT into content-heavy, lecture-based courses, ii) make LCT easy to use for students, iii) make recordings annotated and interesting, and iv) provide enough in-class activity to prevent drops in attendance. Other guidelines were not followed, for example: i) keep videos novel, short, and focussed on problem areas; ii) conduct mid- or postvideo tests; and iii) provide to first-years but not upper-years. This paper details LCT's merits and drawbacks for very different cohorts across three years of an undergraduate program.

A measurement invariance study was conducted among 1,344 college students from Canada and the United States on an anxiety measure specifically designed for the college student population to determine whether the construct of anxiety was equivalent across country (Canada, United States) and gender. In addition, country and gender differences were examined on the anxiety measure. The Adult Manifest Anxiety Scale-College Version (AMAS-C) was administered to the college students online. The AMAS-C consists of four anxiety (Physiological Anxiety, Social Concerns/Stress, Test Anxiety, and Worry/Oversensitivity) subscales, a Total Anxiety scale, and a Lie scale. Results of tests of measurement invariance found the construct of anxiety equivalent across country and gender and latent mean analyses found gender differences, but no country differences, on the AMAS-C anxiety factors. Implications of the findings for mental health professionals, educational practitioners, and current and future researchers who work with or who will work with the undergraduate student population in Canada are discussed.

Most language experiences take place at the level of multiple sentences. However, previous studies of second language (L2) comprehension have typically focused on lexical- and sentence-level processing. Our study addresses this gap by examining auditory discourse comprehension in 32 English/French bilinguals. We tested the prediction of the noisy channel model (Futrell & Gibson, 2017) that bilinguals will rely more on top-down, discourse-level cues in L2 because these are common across languages, as opposed to the language-specific associations of an often weaker L2. We further hypothesized that these effects could be influenced by individual differences, such that participants with lower L2 proficiency or working memory would have more difficulty building and maintaining discourse context. Specifically, we measured the N400 response, an index of automatic semantic processing. Participants heard three-sentence stories with prime and target words in the final sentence whose lexical association was manipulated, as was the congruence of the target with the preceding discourse. Overall, our results support the noisy channel model of language comprehension in a sample of highly proficient bilinguals. We observed larger N400 effects of discourse congruence than lexical association, and the difference between these 2 conditions was greater in the L2 than in the L1. Additionally, the effects of lexical association were limited to the L1 and predicted by individual differences in language dominance but not working memory. These findings suggest that bilinguals do indeed make greater use of top-down, supralinguistic information in their L2 compared with their L1.

Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis activity is related to negative mental health outcomes, including depression. Most developmental research uses salivary cortisol to index HPA activity; however, hair cortisol concentrations (HCCs) reflect cortisol production over extended periods of time. While HCCs have been linked to adult depression, their relationship to the development of children's depressive symptoms is unclear. We assessed HCCs in 60 seven-year-old community-dwelling girls who were followed up one year later. In broader models, girls' age 7 HCCs were positively associated with age 8 depressive symptoms at a trend level, indicating that HCCs may be related to mental health early in development.

Mobile apps take advantage of the ubiquity of mobile phones and can be used to share unique pedagogical experiences with multimedia content not yet available in curriculums. This preliminary study used a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design to examine changes in self-reported empathy toward sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) minority people. We also report on the associations between gender and a physiological measure of emotional activation, skin conductance level (SCL), on self-reported empathy. The main results of this study that examined 57 undergraduate students at a Canadian University whom interacted with a queer history app individually were the following: Preliminary evidence that (1) students' empathy toward SO and GI minorities can be measured using a modified version of the Scale of Ethnocultural Empathy (SEE). (2) Statistically significant increases in empathy toward SO and GI minorities pre to post app interaction. (3) Students' pre- and post-empathy levels were statistically significantly higher toward SO than GI minorities. (4) Female students had statistically significantly higher self-reported empathy toward SO and GI minorities than males. (5) Male students had statistically significantly higher SCL than females. (6) Statistically significant interaction between SCL grouping and questionnaire administration on GI minority empathy. Findings and implications are discussed in lieu of the contributions that mobile apps can play to support social change, in particular, by fostering empathy.

The use of driving simulators is an innovation for police training in Quebec. There are some issues related to their impact on training objectives. This article presents the results of a study involving 71 police cadets who participated in six training sessions with a driving simulator. The training sessions were designed for developing the decision-making skills in regard to emergency driving and pursuit. The nature and consequences of the discomfort experienced by the participants is described. The results highlight the importance of the initial training session. Issues related to providing trainees with adequate support are discussed.

The experiences of course facilitators in connectivist-type MOOCs are poorly reported. Yet there is evidence that the values and beliefs of facilitators have an important impact on the learning experiences of participants, and that reducing their interactions with students may also reduce the effectiveness of the course. This study aimed to determine the experiences of the facilitators of an open online course in order to develop a deeper understanding of how those experiences may have influenced the course outcomes. Three facilitators recorded their reflective discussion following the completion of a successful open online course among undergraduate physiotherapy students and a cohort of qualified physiotherapists from around the world. Facilitators in this course aimed to increase the number of meaningful interactions between all participants, finding that this led to significant challenges in developing and maintaining learner relationships. There were a variety of pressures that exerted an influence on their involvement. Course design influenced the number, type and quality of interactions, which came at a high cost in facilitator time and energy. However, they also led to rewarding learning experiences for both facilitators and participants.

In focusing on individual and physician demographics and system characteristics that lead to hysterectomy rate variations, researchers overlook the impact of culturally mediated meanings women assign to their bodies, hysterectomy, and other treatments. In this study I sought to provide a fuller description of this decision-making process by examining the role of meaning making in women's decision not to have a hysterectomy. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, nine women diagnosed with menstrual disorders in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada each took part in a semi-structured interview. Factors deemed "irrational" in biomedical understandings of informed choice played a significant role in participants' decisions not to have a hysterectomy. When these factors are hidden, they cannot be properly addressed during the treatment selection process. By shifting the approach to informed choice to incorporate a holistic view of the body and knowledge, requirements for informed choice may be more likely to be met.

Despite the well-established protective functions of guilt across childhood, its underlying physiological mechanisms have received little attention. We used latent difference scores (LDS) to model changes in children's (N = 267; 4- and 8-year-olds, 51% girls) skin conductance (SC) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) while they imagined themselves committing antisocial acts. We then tested if their later reports of guilt, caregiver-reported aggressive behavior, and age were associated with these physiological changes. For 8-year-olds, changes in RSA leading up to and during transgressions were uniquely associated with the intensity of guilt feelings after transgressions. Eight-year-olds with higher guilt were rated lower in aggression, although children's physiology and aggression were not directly related. We discuss how fluctuations in physiology while transgressing may prepare children to mount adaptive guilt responses afterward and--more broadly--implications for understanding the mechanisms behind guilt and related behavior in early and middle childhood.

We examined whether the moderating role of cortisol in the relation between physical peer victimization and physical aggression was better accounted for by a diathesis-stress model or a differential susceptibility model using a multi-informant approach (direct observations, teacher reports, and parent reports) of 198 preschool-aged children attending high-quality child care. Controlling for the influence of household income, hours per week in child care, and child age, we found that our results supported a differential susceptibility effect for boys but not for girls. This effect was replicated within reporters (observer and parent reports) and across reporters (parent-reported victimization and teacher-rated aggression) but for boys only. At higher levels of peer victimization, lower levels of basal cortisol were associated with higher levels of physical aggression, but, at lower levels of peer victimization, lower levels of basal cortisol were associated with lower levels of physical aggression. Furthermore, at higher levels of peer victimization, higher levels of basal cortisol were associated with lower levels of physical aggression, but, at lower levels of peer victimization, higher levels of basal cortisol were associated with higher levels of physical aggression. These results highlight the complex interplay between the social environment and biobehavioral systems in early childhood and the value of considering a differential susceptibility framework in peer-relations research.

Self-reports suggest >50% of university students cheat at some point in their academic career (Christensen Hughes JM, McCabe DL. "Can J High Educ" 36: 49-63, 2006), although objective values of academic misconduct (AM) are difficult to obtain. In a physiology-based department, we had a concern that students were altering written tests and resubmitting them for higher grades; thereby compromising the integrity of our primary assessment style. Therefore, we directly quantified the prevalence of AM on written tests in 11 courses across the department. Three thousand six hundred and twenty midterms were scanned, and any midterm submitted for regrading was compared with its original for evidence of AM. Student characteristics, test details, and course information were recorded. On a department level, results show that this form of AM was rare: prevalent on 2.2% of all tests written. However, of the tests submitted for regrading, 17.4% contained AM (range: 0-26%). The majority of AM was conducted by high-achieving students, (60% of offenders earned >80%), and there was a trend toward women being more likely to commit AM (P = 0.056). While our results objectively show that this type of AM is low, we highlight that large competitive courses face significantly higher prevalence, and high-achieving students may have gone underreported in previous literature. Vigilance should be employed by all faculty who accept tests for regrading.

Vagal tone is widely believed to be an important physiological aspect of emotion regulation and associated positive behaviors. However, there is inconsistent evidence for relations between children's baseline vagal tone and their helpful or prosocial responses to others (Hastings & Miller, 2014). Recent work in adults suggests a quadratic association (inverted U-shape curve) between baseline vagal tone and prosociality (Kogan et al., 2014). The present research examined whether this nonlinear association was evident in children. The authors found consistent evidence for a quadratic relation between vagal tone and prosociality across 3 samples of children using 6 different measures. Compared to low and high vagal tone, moderate vagal tone in early childhood concurrently predicted greater self-reported prosociality (Study 1), observed empathic concern in response to the distress of others and greater generosity toward less fortunate peers (Study 2), and longitudinally predicted greater self-, mother-, and teacher-reported prosociality 5.5 years later in middle childhood (Study 3). Taken together, the findings suggest that moderate vagal tone at rest represents a physiological preparedness or tendency to engage in different forms of prosociality across different contexts. Early moderate vagal tone may reflect an optimal balance of regulation and arousal that helps prepare children to sympathize, comfort, and share with others.

Renal clearance, the volume of blood cleared of a substance in a particular time period, is commonly recognized as one of the most difficult concepts in physiology. This difficulty may in part reflect the quantitative nature of renal clearance since many life sciences majors perceive that mathematics is irrelevant to their discipline. Students may infer from the clearance definition that, in blood leaving the kidney, the blood volume corresponding to the clearance will be completely free of the substance, but the remainder of the blood volume will contain the original concentration. Thus, renal clearance is difficult for students to master both qualitatively and quantitatively. A variety of excellent case studies have been developed to address the quantitative aspect; these provide opportunities to practice calculating clearance and other indicators of renal handling (3, 4, 6). However, although students may become proficient at slotting clinical values into memorized formulae, personal experience suggests that these activities do not always result in conceptual understanding, even when coupled with well-designed diagrams and videos. Using clay droplets to represent water volumes (50 ml/droplet) and beads to represent solutes (10 mg/bead), students trace the path of solutes and water as they enter the glomerulus, are exchanged between the tubule and peritubular capillaries, and eventually leave the kidney in urine or in the renal vein. The simulation thus allows students to visualize and enact dynamic processes in a way that cannot be done with data sets, images, or videos. This activity was developed to improve student understanding by modeling the renal handling of different solutes in a quantifiable manner.

One of the most effective ways of engaging students of physiology and medicine is through laboratory demonstrations and case studies that combine 1) the use of equipment, 2) problem solving, 3) visual representations, and 4) manipulation and interpretation of data. Depending on the measurements made and the type of test, laboratory demonstrations have the added benefit of being able to show multiple organ system integration. Many research techniques can also serve as effective demonstrations of integrative human physiology. The "Duffin" hyperoxic rebreathing test is often used in research settings as a test of central respiratory chemosensitivity and cerebrovascular reactivity to CO[subscript 2]. We aimed to demonstrate the utility of the hyperoxic rebreathing test for both respiratory and cerebrovascular responses to increases in CO[subscript 2] and illustrate the integration of the respiratory and cerebrovascular systems. In the present article, methods such as spirometry, respiratory gas analysis, and transcranial Doppler ultrasound are described, and raw data traces can be adopted for discussion in a tutorial setting. If educators have these instruments available, instructions on how to carry out the test are provided so students can collect their own data. In either case, data analysis and quantification are discussed, including principles of linear regression, calculation of slope, the coefficient of determination (R[superscript 2]), and differences between plotting absolute versus normalized data. Using the hyperoxic rebreathing test as a demonstration of the complex interaction and integration between the respiratory and cerebrovascular systems provides senior undergraduate, graduate, and medical students with an advanced understanding of the integrative nature of human physiology.

Taste perception was the focus of an undergraduate course in the health sciences that bridged the sciences and humanities. A problem-based learning approach was used to study the biological issues, whereas the cultural transmutations of these molecular mechanisms were explored using a variety of resources (novels, cookbooks, and films). Multiple evaluation procedures were used: problem summaries and problem-solving exercises (tripartite problem-solving exercise) for the problem-based learning component and group tasks and individual exercises for the cultural issues. Self-selected groups chose specific tasks from a prescribed list of options (setting up a journal in molecular gastronomy, developing an electronic tongue, designing a restaurant for synesthetes, organizing a farmers' market, marketing a culinary tour, framing hedonic scales, exploring changing tastes through works of art or recipe books, and crafting beers for space travel). Individual tasks were selected from a menu of options (book reviews, film reviews, conversations, creative writing, and oral exams). A few guest lecturers (wine making, cultural anthropology, film analysis, and nutritional epidemiology) added more flavor. The course was rated highly for its learning value (8.5 ± 1.2, n = 62) and helped students relate biological mechanisms to cultural issues (9.0 ± 0.9, n = 62).

With the burgeoning influence of cognitive neuroscience in the field of psychology, it is important to train, or at least expose, undergraduate psychology students to the discipline's methods. Unfortunately, many instructors are limited in their ability to provide such tangible experiences due to resource limitations. However, recent advances in electroencephalography (EEG) technology now make it possible to rectify this deficiency. This article discusses affordable, manageable, and reliable EEG technology that is perfect for the classroom and describes two studies testing the utility of the technology for student learning. Results suggested that a demonstration incorporating this technology facilitated learning and stimulated interest in the areas of cognitive and physiological psychology.

The Read CO[subscript]2 rebreathing method (Read DJ. "A clinical method for assessing the ventilatory response to carbon dioxide." "Australas Ann Med" 16: 20-32, 1967) provides a simple and reproducible approach for studying the chemical control of breathing. It has been widely used since the modifications made by Duffin and coworkers. Our use of a rebreathing laboratory to challenge undergraduate science students to investigate the control of breathing provided 8 yr of student-generated data for comparison with the literature. Students (age: 19-22 yr, Research Ethics Board approval) rebreathed from a bag containing 5% CO[subscript 2] and 95% O[subscript 2] (to suppress the peripheral chemoreflex to hypoxia). Rebreathing was performed, and ventilation measured, after hyperventilation to deplete tissue CO[subscript 2] stores and enable the detection of the central chemoreflex threshold. We analyzed 43 data sets, of which 10 were rejected for technical reasons. The mean threshold and ventilatory sensitivity to CO[subscript 2] were 43.3 plus or minus 3.8 mmHg and 4.60 plus or minus 3.04 l times min [superscript -1] times mmHg [superscript -1] (means plus or minus SD), respectively. Threshold values were normally distributed, whereas sensitivity was skewed to the left. Both mean values agreed well with those in the literature. We conclude that the modified rebreathing protocol is a robust method for undergraduate investigation of the chemical control of breathing.

Grieving is infused by memories and emotions. In this study, bereaved participants recalled either death-related or fond memories of their loved ones. Their emotional arousal was examined via physiologic and voice analytic measures. Both death-related and fond memories generated an acoustic profile indicative of sadness (reflected by voice quality related parameters). Death-related memories, moreover, lead to bodily tension reflected by increased diastolic blood pressure levels and mean fundamental frequency of the voice signal. Consistent with the continuing bond and attachment perspectives, "death," a reminder of the irrevocability of the loss, induced distress/anxiety. In contrast, fond memories lead to more moderate, melancholic sadness, presumably because of their association with the soothing qualities of the attachment figure. (Contains 3 tables, 2 footnotes, and 1 figure.)

An important part of training the next generation of physicians is ensuring that they are exposed to the integral role that research plays in improving medical treatment. However, medical students often do not have sufficient time to be trained to carry out any projects in biomedical and clinical research. Many medical students also fail to understand and grasp translational research as an important concept today. In addition, since medical training is often an international affair whereby a medical student/resident/fellow will likely train in many different countries during his/her early training years, it is important to provide a learning environment whereby a young medical student experiences the unique challenges and value of an international educational experience. This article describes a program that bridges the gap between the basic and clinical research concepts in a unique international educational experience. After completing two semester curricula at Alfaisal University in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, six medical students undertook a summer program at St. Boniface Hospital Research Centre, in Winnipeg, MB, Canada. The program lasted for 2 mo and addressed advanced training in basic science research topics in medicine such as cell isolation, functional assessment, and molecular techniques of analysis and manipulation as well as sessions on the conduct of clinical research trials, ethics, and intellectual property management. Programs such as these are essential to provide a base from which medical students can decide if research is an attractive career choice for them during their clinical practice in subsequent years. An innovative international summer research course for medical students is necessary to cater to the needs of the medical students in the 21st century. (Contains 4 tables.)

Problem-based learning (PBL) can be described as a learning environment where the problem drives the learning. This technique usually involves learning in small groups, which are supervised by tutors. It is becoming evident that PBL in a small-group setting has a robust positive effect on student learning and skills, including better problem-solving skills and an increase in overall motivation. However, very little research has been done on the educational benefits of PBL in a large classroom setting. Here, we describe a PBL approach (using tutorless groups) that was introduced as a supplement to standard didactic lectures in University of British Columbia Okanagan undergraduate biochemistry classes consisting of 45-85 students. PBL was chosen as an effective method to assist students in learning biochemical and physiological processes. By monitoring student attendance and using informal and formal surveys, we demonstrated that PBL has a significant positive impact on student motivation to attend and participate in the course work. Student responses indicated that PBL is superior to traditional lecture format with regard to the understanding of course content and retention of information. We also demonstrated that student problem-solving skills are significantly improved, but additional controlled studies are needed to determine how much PBL exercises contribute to this improvement. These preliminary data indicated several positive outcomes of using PBL in a large classroom setting, although further studies aimed at assessing student learning are needed to further justify implementation of this technique in courses delivered to large undergraduate classes. (Contains 3 tables and 2 figures.)

This study investigated childhood physical abuse and ulcers in a regionally representative community sample. Age, race and sex were controlled for in addition to five clusters of potentially confounding factors: adverse childhood conditions, adult socioeconomic status, current health behaviors, current stress and marital status, and history of mood/anxiety disorders. Childhood physical abuse is associated with many negative physical and psychological adult health outcomes. Two recent studies demonstrate a potential link between childhood physical abuse and peptic ulcer disease in adulthood. The authors use regional data for the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan from the 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey. Of the 13,069 respondents with complete data on abuse and ulcers, 7.3% (n = 1,020) report that they had been physically abused as a child by someone close to them and 3.0% (n = 493) report that they had been diagnosed with peptic ulcers by a health professional. The regional response rate is approximately 84%. Findings show that those reporting abuse had more than twice the prevalence of ulcers than did those not reporting abuse (6.6% vs. 2.7%). The fully adjusted odd ratio of peptic ulcers among those who had reported childhood physical abuse is 1.68 (95% CI = 1.22, 2.32). A significant and stable relationship between childhood physical abuse and peptic ulcers is found, even when taking into account five clusters of potentially confounding factors. Prospective studies that apply the biopsychosocial model are likely to be the most effective for identifying the pathways that connect childhood physical abuse and ulcer disease. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)

Learning difficulties in preterm infants are thought to reflect impairment in arousal regulation. We examined relationships among gestational age, learning speed, and behavioral and physiological reactivity in 55 preterm and 49 full-term infants during baseline, contingency, and nonreinforcement phases of a conjugate mobile paradigm at 3 months corrected age. For all infants, negative affect, looking duration, and heart rate levels increased during contingency and nonreinforcement phases, whereas respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA, an index of parasympathetic activity) decreased and cortisol did not change. Learners showed greater RSA suppression and less negative affect than nonlearners. This pattern was particularly evident in the preterm group. Overall, preterm infants showed less learning, spent less time looking at the mobile, and had lower cortisol levels than full-term infants. Preterm infants also showed greater heart rate responses to contingency and dampened heart rate responses to nonreinforcement compared to full-term infants. Findings underscore differences in basal and reactivity measures in preterm compared to full-term infants and suggest that the capacity to regulate parasympathetic activity during a challenge enhances learning in preterm infants. (Contains 3 tables and 4 figures.)

The effectiveness of a multidimensional Canadian sex education programme was evaluated using 240 Grade Nine students. The intervention was offered by representatives from various community groups and involved instructional classes on anatomy/physiology of the reproductive system and sexually transmitted infections, a video and group discussion on healthy relationships, a form of "peer education" and discussion on teen pregnancy and HIV/AIDS, as well as a parent workshop and newsletter on teen sexuality. Respondents in the intervention and control groups completed a self-administered questionnaire at baseline and one month after the programme. Compared with the control group, students in the intervention group showed positive changes in the areas of knowledge, sex-role attitudes, sexual interaction values, and the perception that birth control is important. These results suggest that a collaborative effort of outside professionals from various community organisations and involvement of "peer educators" to provide sexual health education in Grade Nine high school classes may be a useful strategy. (Contains 9 tables and 3 notes.)

Describes one teacher's first attempt to understand the role of students' self-evaluations of their process and products in a science unit centered upon open-ended projects. Describes the social structure in student group self-evaluation, and explains the important role students' self-evaluations can play as part of an open-ended project learning environment. (Contains 15 references.) (Author/WRM)

Reports findings from the 1986 annual survey of activities of university departments of physiology in the United States and Canada. Presents data on faculty numbers and salaries, pre- and postdoctoral trainees, training support, and research grants. Also includes membership statistics of the American Physiological Society. (ML)

Controls on Arctic vegetation physiology have been linked to microscale (1–100 m) topography and landscape position, yet drivers may change under future climates as temperature, active-layer thickness, and nutrient limitations are removed or altered. Focusing on the cosmopolitan dwarf birch (Betula glandusa), physiological metrics were measured over two field campaigns at Trail Valley Creek, NWT, Canada, and linked to tasked and archived multispectral imagery to investigate drivers. Relative humidity was ~31.1% on 25 June 2023, and increased to 45.6% on 29 June 2023, which corresponded to heightened physiological activity of stomatal conductance and light-adapted fluorescence (gsm: 0.118 vs. 0.165 μmol m−2 s−1, Fs: 129.29 vs. 178.42). Normalized difference vegetation index of AVIRIS, Sentinel 2, and SkySat were negligibly correlated to dwarf birch physiological activity, but moderately correlated to dwarf birch height and active-layer thickness. Random forest variable importance revealed that environmental factors and field-measured active-layer thickness ranked higher than remote sensing metrics in explaining physiological activity regardless of the field campaign. Overall, these findings suggest that microscale variation can influence dwarf birch physiological activity, yet microscale effects are overwritten by environmental conditions that may hinder fine-scale space-based monitoring of Arctic vegetation physiological dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in Canada. Many heart disease patients are referred for cardiac rehabilitation, a multidisciplinary outpatient program often consisting of exercise training. Cardiac rehabilitation has been proven to be a successful secondary preventative measure in reducing mortality and improving overall health in heart disease patients, and its completion is important for both sexes as there is growing evidence that women benefit as much as men, if not more, with regard to mortality. It is important to note that previous studies have shown that healthy men and women respond differently to aerobic and resistance training, possibly due to hormones, body composition, autonomic and/or cardiovascular differences. However, evaluating sex differences in the efficacy of standard cardiac rehabilitation programs has not yet been fully explored with many studies investigating clinical or anthropometric data but not physiological outcomes. This systematic review aimed to investigate physiological differences in male and female heart disease patients after cardiac rehabilitation. The inclusion criteria were purposefully broad to encompass many cardiac rehabilitation scenarios, many cardiac disease states, and various program lengths and intensities with the intention of highlighting strengths and weaknesses of the current body of literature. Methods: To conduct a synthesis without meta-analysis, a search strategy was generated to examine the relationships between heart disease patients, a supervised exercise program, physiological outcomes, and sex differences. The review was registered (Prospero: CRD42021251614) and the following databases were searched from inception to 19 December 2023: APA PsycInfo (Ovid), CINAHL Complete (EBSCOhost), Embase (Ovid), Emcare Nursing (Ovid), Medline All (Ovid; includes PubMed non-Medline), and Web of Science Core Collection. Eighty-eight studies pertaining to fitness, metabolism, body composition, respiratory function, cardiac function and C-reactive protein underwent data extraction. Results and conclusions: Importantly, this review suggests that men and women respond similarly to a wide-range of cardiac rehabilitation programs in most physiological variables. However, many studies discussing maximal oxygen consumption, functional capacity, six-minute walk distances, and grip strength suggest that men benefit more. Further research is required to address certain limitations, such as appropriate statistical methods and type/intensity of exercise interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Question: Can additional genetic variants for circulating anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels be identified through a genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis including a large sample of premenopausal women?Summary Answer: We identified four loci associated with AMH levels at P < 5 × 10-8: the previously reported MCM8 locus and three novel signals in or near AMH, TEX41 and CDCA7.What Is Known Already: AMH is expressed by antral stage ovarian follicles in women, and variation in age-specific circulating AMH levels has been associated with disease outcomes. However, the physiological mechanisms underlying these AMH-disease associations are largely unknown.Study Design, Size, Duration: We performed a GWAS meta-analysis in which we combined summary statistics of a previous AMH GWAS with GWAS data from 3705 additional women from three different cohorts.Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: In total, we included data from 7049 premenopausal female participants of European ancestry. The median age of study participants ranged from 15.3 to 48 years across cohorts. Circulating AMH levels were measured in either serum or plasma samples using different ELISA assays. Study-specific analyses were adjusted for age at blood collection and population stratification, and summary statistics were meta-analysed using a standard error-weighted approach. Subsequently, we functionally annotated GWAS variants that reached genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10-8). We also performed a gene-based GWAS, pathway analysis and linkage disequilibrium score regression and Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses.Main Results and the Role Of Chance: We identified four loci associated with AMH levels at P < 5 × 10-8: the previously reported MCM8 locus and three novel signals in or near AMH, TEX41 and CDCA7. The strongest signal was a missense variant in the AMH gene (rs10417628). Most prioritized genes at the other three identified loci were involved in cell cycle regulation. Genetic correlation analyses indicated a strong positive correlation among single nucleotide polymorphisms for AMH levels and for age at menopause (rg = 0.82, FDR = 0.003). Exploratory two-sample MR analyses did not support causal effects of AMH on breast cancer or polycystic ovary syndrome risk, but should be interpreted with caution as they may be underpowered and the validity of genetic instruments could not be extensively explored.Large Scale Data: The full AMH GWAS summary statistics will made available after publication through the GWAS catalog (https://www.ebi.ac.uk/gwas/).Limitations, Reasons For Caution: Whilst this study doubled the sample size of the most recent GWAS, the statistical power is still relatively low. As a result, we may still lack power to identify more genetic variants for AMH and to determine causal effects of AMH on, for example, breast cancer. Also, follow-up studies are needed to investigate whether the signal for the AMH gene is caused by reduced AMH detection by certain assays instead of actual lower circulating AMH levels.Wider Implications Of the Findings: Genes mapped to the MCM8, TEX41 and CDCA7 loci are involved in the cell cycle and processes such as DNA replication and apoptosis. The mechanism underlying their associations with AMH may affect the size of the ovarian follicle pool. Altogether, our results provide more insight into the biology of AMH and, accordingly, the biological processes involved in ovarian ageing.Study Funding/competing Interest(s): Nurses' Health Study and Nurses' Health Study II were supported by research grants from the National Institutes of Health (CA172726, CA186107, CA50385, CA87969, CA49449, CA67262, CA178949). The UK Medical Research Council and Wellcome (217065/Z/19/Z) and the University of Bristol provide core support for ALSPAC. This publication is the work of the listed authors, who will serve as guarantors for the contents of this article. A comprehensive list of grants funding is available on the ALSPAC website (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/alspac/external/documents/grant-acknowledgements.pdf). Funding for the collection of genotype and phenotype data used here was provided by the British Heart Foundation (SP/07/008/24066), Wellcome (WT092830M and WT08806) and UK Medical Research Council (G1001357). M.C.B., A.L.G.S. and D.A.L. work in a unit that is funded by the University of Bristol and UK Medical Research Council (MC_UU_00011/6). M.C.B.'s contribution to this work was funded by a UK Medical Research Council Skills Development Fellowship (MR/P014054/1) and D.A.L. is a National Institute of Health Research Senior Investigator (NF-0616-10102). A.L.G.S. was supported by the study of Dynamic longitudinal exposome trajectories in cardiovascular and metabolic non-communicable diseases (H2020-SC1-2019-Single-Stage-RTD, project ID 874739). The Doetinchem Cohort Study was financially supported by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports of the Netherlands. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript. Ansh Labs performed the AMH measurements for the Doetinchem Cohort Study free of charge. Ansh Labs was not involved in the data analysis, interpretation or reporting, nor was it financially involved in any aspect of the study. R.M.G.V. was funded by the Honours Track of MSc Epidemiology, University Medical Center Utrecht with a grant from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) (022.005.021). The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) has grant support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), DHHS, through the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) and the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) (U01NR004061; U01AG012505, U01AG012535, U01AG012531, U01AG012539, U01AG012546, U01AG012553, U01AG012554, U01AG012495). The SWAN Genomic Analyses and SWAN Legacy have grant support from the NIA (U01AG017719). The Generations Study was funded by Breast Cancer Now and the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR). The ICR acknowledges NHS funding to the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre. The content of this manuscript is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent official views of the funders. The Sister Study was funded by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (Z01-ES044005 to D.P.S.); the AMH assays were supported by the Avon Foundation (02-2012-065 to H.B. Nichols and D.P.S.). The breast cancer genome-wide association analyses were supported by the Government of Canada through Genome Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the 'Ministère de l'Économie, de la Science et de l'Innovation du Québec' through Genome Québec and grant PSR-SIIRI-701, The National Institutes of Health (U19 CA148065, X01HG007492), Cancer Research UK (C1287/A10118, C1287/A16563, C1287/A10710) and The European Union (HEALTH-F2-2009-223175 and H2020 633784 and 634935). All studies and funders are listed in Michailidou et al. (Nature, 2017). F.J.M.B. has received fees and grant support from Merck Serono and Ferring BV. D.A.L. has received financial support from several national and international government and charitable funders as well as from Medtronic Ltd and Roche Diagnostics for research that is unrelated to this study. N.S. is scientific consultant for Ansh Laboratories. The other authors declare no competing interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has emerged as an increasingly important threat to freshwater systems. To cope with rapidly changing thermal regimes, freshwater fishes must either relocate or adjust through genetic adaptation and/or phenotypic plasticity. Short‐term responses to elevated water temperature have been well studied in freshwater fishes; however, far less is understood about change induced by long‐term exposure. Furthermore, few studies have investigated the effects of temperature on already imperilled species, which may be more sensitive to environmental change.This study investigated the effects of rearing temperature on critical thermal maximum (CTmax), agitation temperature (Tag, temperature at which fish show behavioural signs of thermal stress) and gill size in pugnose shiner, Notropis anogenus, a threatened species in Canada. Juvenile pugnose shiner were reared for 4 months across five different ecologically relevant temperatures. CTmax and Tag were measured under normoxia and acute exposure to hypoxia to test for oxygen sensitivity of the upper thermal limits in this species.CTmax increased with elevated water temperature. Tag also increased with rearing temperature and occurred, on average, 4.3°C above acclimation temperatures. The CTmax and Tag were lower when fish were exposed acutely to hypoxia. Interestingly, gill size (e.g. total gill filament length) increased with rearing temperature, which may increase oxygen uptake capacity and support increased metabolic demands of warmer waters.Overall, pugnose shiner show plasticity in several traits in response to long‐term exposure to elevated water temperature that may facilitate persistence in warmer waters. However, acute hypoxia exposure reduced thermal tolerance, stressing the importance of evaluating interactive effects of multiple stressors.Identifying source populations of pugnose shiner with greater thermal tolerance or implementing captive breeding under higher temperature regimes may improve the success of re‐introduction efforts in the face of climate change, but the consequences to fitness of increased thermal tolerance should be examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to understand perceived benefits, facilitators, disadvantages, and barriers for physical activity among South Asian adolescents in India and Canada. Methods: Thirteen focus group discussions with South Asian (origin) adolescent boys and girls of different nutritional status and socioeconomic status in rural and urban India and urban Canada. Results: Across the groups, fitness and 'energy' were perceived to be major benefits of physical activity. In India, better academic performance was highlighted, while health benefits were well detailed in Canadian groups. In all settings, friends, family, and teachers were perceived as facilitators of as well as barriers to physical activity. Lack of a safe space to play was a major concern for urban adolescents, while academic pressures and preference for other sedentary recreational activities were common barriers across all groups. Girls were less likely than boys to be interested in physical activity, with girls' participation in India further limited by societal restrictions. Conclusion: The study suggests key areas for promotion of physical activity among South Asian adolescents: balance between academic pressure and opportunities for physical activity, especially in India; urban planning for a built environment conducive to physical activity; and gender-sensitive programming to promote girls' activity which also addresses culture-specific barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although preschoolers' physical activity in center-based childcare has received considerable attention, less is known regarding this group's activity levels within home-based childcare. This review aimed to explore and synthesize the literature on preschoolers' physical and sedentary activity levels in home-based childcare. Outdoor playtime was also examined to contribute to the understanding of preschoolers' activity levels within this particular setting. Methods: Nine online databases were searched for peer-reviewed, English-language, primary studies that quantitatively measured physical and sedentary activity levels of preschoolers attending home-based childcare. Studies were excluded if they were nonprimary research, if they lacked a preschool-aged sample, if they did not quantitatively measure physical or sedentary activity, or if they took place in an ineligible environment. Results: Seven articles were included in this review; 3 had objective measures of activity levels, and 4 relied on nonobjective measures. Accelerometry data suggest that preschoolers' average sedentary, moderate-to-vigorous, and total physical activity levels in home-based childcare ranged from 39.5 to 49.6, 1.8 to 9.7, and 10.4 to 33.8 min/hr, respectively. Outdoor playtime appears to be inconsistent in home-based childcare. Conclusion: Physical activity among preschoolers attending home-based childcare appears to be relatively low and widely varied. Sedentary time has received less attention in home-based childcare settings. Future research examining activity levels in this unique environment is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Participation in collegiate intramural sports provides numerous, positive psycho- logical benefits for its participants. Benefits of participation in intramural programs include improved happiness and subjective well-being which can be operationalized as one's positive affective state. The purpose of this study was to determine the affective outcomes (positive and negative affect) of intramural sport participation in a collegiate setting. Students at a Canadian university (N = 315) completed a questionnaire immediately following their participation in an intramural sport. Overall, and across all demographic variables, participants reported significantly higher levels of positive affect than negative affect, even for all levels of task- or ego-orientation (low, medium, and high). A MANOVA revealed significant differences between the three levels of task-orientation on positive affect but not negative affect. These results are promising indicators of students' continued sport participation on campus and later in life as intramural sport participants report experiencing significantly more positive affect than negative affect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have demonstrated that the intensity of estrous expression is associated with ovulation, ovarian and uterine function, and fertility, and is dependent on social hierarchy and the housing system used. Data from recent studies involving spontaneous and induced estrus have shown that a greater relative increase and longer estrus (captured by different automated activity monitors; AAM) are both associated with improved pregnancy per artificial insemination (AI; around 10 to 14% increase) and decreased pregnancy losses. Intensity and duration of estrus were surprisingly weakly associated with preovulatory follicle diameter and concentrations of plasma estradiol at estrus, whereas ovulation failure was associated with low estrus intensity. Studies have also shown that the display of estrous behavior near AI was associated with the modification of expression of genes related to the immune system, adhesion molecules, and prostaglandin synthesis in the endometrium. Transcripts in leukocytes and in the conceptus tissue associated with maternal recognition of pregnancy as well as conceptus elongation were all associated with differences in the intensity of estrous expression. Most recently, studies from the United States and Canada have demonstrated that reproductive programs emphasizing detection of estrus using AAM can be successful and comparable to intensive timed AI protocol-based programs that incorporate GnRH and PGF 2α treatments. Further, one study concluded that the administration of GnRH at AI for spontaneous estrus events greatly improved pregnancy per AI, but only for cows with reduced intensity of estrous expression, showing the potential to use AAM data as a tool in targeted reproductive programs. Quantitative information from estrus events could be used to improve estrus detection and develop decision-making strategies at the farm level. Future studies in this field should aim to better understand ovarian, conceptus, and endometrial mechanisms associated with either the expression or the intensity of estrus, and to refine the identification of phenotypes related to estrus (relative increase, absolute increase, baseline levels, duration, and repeatability within cow) to improve data usage, estrus detection, and possibly genetic selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of this study was to assess the associations among body mass index (BMI), leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and health-related quality of life (HRQL) trajectories among adults. Methods: Self-reported data were drawn from the Canadian National Population Health Survey, with respondents being interviewed every 2 years between 1996-97 and 2006-07. Using growth curve modeling, HRQL trajectories for individuals aged 18 and over were associated with measures of BMI and LTPA. Growth models were constructed separately for males and females. Results: Findings suggested that, for males, BMI categories had little impact on baseline HRQL, and no impact on the rate of change in HRQL. Among women, higher BMI categories were associated with significantly lower baseline HRQL. However, BMI had no impact on the rate of change of HRQL. Conversely, for both men and women and regardless of BMI category, LTPA had significant impacts on baseline HRQL, as well as the rate of change in HRQL. Individuals who were inactive or sedentary had much steeper declines in HRQL as they aged, as compared with individuals who were active in their leisure time. Conclusions: The results underscore the importance of LTPA in shaping trajectories of HRQL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes the cardiovascular responses to submaximal isokinetic exercise in older adults in Canada. Determination of peak torques in concentric and eccentric knee extensions; Increase of heart rate and mean arterial blood pressure from resting values throughout exercise bouts; Level of cardiovascular stress by concentric knee extension exercise.

Introduction: Mucosal immune activation, in the context of sexual transmission of HIV-1 infection, is crucial, as the increased presence of activated T cells enhance susceptibility to infection. In this regard, it has been proposed that immunomodulatory compounds capable of modulating immune activation, such as Vitamin D (VitD) may reduce HIV-1 transmission and might be used as a safe and cost-effective strategy for prevention. Considering this, we examined the in vitro effect of the treatment of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with the active form of VitD, calcitriol, on cellular activation, function and susceptibility of CD4+ T cells to HIV-1 infection. Methods: We treated PBMCs from healthy HIV unexposed individuals (Co-HC) and frequently exposed, HIV-1 seronegative individuals (HESNs) from Colombia and from healthy non-exposed individuals from Canada (Ca-HC) with calcitriol and performed in vitro HIV-1 infection assays using X4- and R5-tropic HIV-1 strains respectively. In addition, we evaluated the activation and function of T cells and the expression of viral co-receptors, and select antiviral genes following calcitriol treatment. Results: Calcitriol reduced the frequency of infected CD4+ T cells and the number of viral particles per cell, for both, X4- and R5-tropic viruses tested in the Co-HC and the Ca-HC, respectively, but not in HESNs. Furthermore, in the Co-HC, calcitriol reduced the frequency of polyclonally activated T cells expressing the activation markers HLA-DR and CD38, and those HLA-DR+CD38-, whereas increased the subpopulation HLA-DR-CD38+. Calcitriol treatment also decreased production of granzyme, IL-2 and MIP-1β by T cells and increased the transcriptional expression of the inhibitor of NF-kB and the antiviral genes cathelicidin (CAMP) and APOBEC3G in PBMCs from Co-HC. Conclusion: Our in vitro findings suggest that VitD treatment could reduce HIV-1 transmission through a specific modulation of the activation levels and function of T cells, and the production of antiviral factors. In conclusion, VitD remains as an interesting potential strategy to prevent HIV-1 transmission that should be further explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]