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Background Cognition-based theories dominate physical activity (PA) research, and many include a construct broadly defined as “beliefs about the consequences of behavior” (e.g., outcome expectancies, perceived benefits) hereafter referred to as perceived consequences. Purpose With the quantity of available research on this topic, it is important to examine whether the literature supports perceived consequences as a predictor of PA. Methods A meta-analysis examining longitudinal associations between perceived consequences and PA in adults was conducted. Studies were eligible if (a) perceived consequences were measured at a time point prior to PA, and (b) the target behavior was a form of PA. An omnibus meta-analysis estimating the mean effect of all included studies, and separate meta-analyses for perceived consequences content categories were conducted. Results This search yielded 6,979 articles, of these, 110 studies met inclusion criteria. Studies were published between 1989 and 2020, with sample sizes ranging from 16 to 2,824. All studies were evaluated as moderate to high quality. A small positive bivariate association was identified (r = 0.11; 95% CI [0.09, 0.13]) between perceived consequences and PA. Significant associations were identified for time, health, self-evaluative, psychological, and affective consequences. There was no association between perceived weight-related consequences and PA. Conclusions The findings emphasize the variability with which existing studies have examined perceived consequences in the PA literature. Future research might examine whether these are important distinctions for understanding PA. Overall, the results suggest utility in examining perceived consequences as a predictor of PA, but constructs with more robust associations may require priority.

Cigarette smoking remains the leading behavioral risk factor for chronic disease and premature mortality. This RCT tested the efficacy of moderate intensity aerobic exercise as an adjunctive smoking cessation treatment among women. Participants (N = 105; age = 42.5, SD = 11.2) received brief smoking cessation counseling and 10 weeks of nicotine replacement therapy and were randomized to 12 weeks of moderate intensity exercise (Exercise; n = 53) or 12 weeks of health education (Control; n = 52). Longitudinal models, with Generalized Estimating Equations, showed no differences between Exercise and Control in cotinine-verified 7-day point prevalence abstinence (Wald = 1.96, p = 0.10) or continuous abstinence (Wald = 1.45, p = 0.23) at 12-weeks (post-treatment) or 6-, 9-, or 12-month follow-up, controlling for differences in baseline nicotine dependence. There was no effect of exercise on smoking cessation. The present study adds to the literature suggesting null effects of exercise as a smoking cessation adjunctive treatment despite promising findings in short-term laboratory based studies.

Background Daily decisions to exercise may be influenced by day-to-day changes in affective attitudes (AA) and instrumental attitudes (IA) toward exercise. However, the within-day association between AA, IA, and exercise behavior has received little attention. Purpose To examine the effects of more temporally proximal (daily) AA and IA on daily exercise behavior beyond traditionally assessed distal (at the beginning of an exercise program) AA and IA. Methods In the context of a 3-month exercise promotion program (N = 50), distal AA and IA were assessed at baseline. Ecological momentary assessment was used to assess proximal AA, IA, and exercise each day. Results Between-subject differences in distal AA (OR = 1.28, p = .03) and distal IA (OR = 1.34, p = .01) were predictive of average likelihood of exercise each day over the 3-month period. Within-subject differences in proximal AA (OR = 1.19, p = .007), but not proximal IA (OR = 1.11, p = .18), predicted exercise each day beyond the between-subjects effects of distal AA and IA. Exploratory analysis revealed an interaction, such that the within-subjects impact of proximal AA on daily exercise was most evident among individuals who held more negative distal AA at baseline (OR = 0.80, p < .0001). Conclusions Attitude type (affective versus instrumental) and temporality (distal versus proximal) are important to consider in attempts to predict and understand exercise behavior. In addition to targeting change in distal attitudes, exercise interventions should target changes in daily AA to impact exercise later in the same day.

Evidence-based online behavioral weight loss (BWL) treatment targets a combination of diet, physical activity, and behavioral skills training. While weight loss outcomes are well documented, little is known about changes in physical activity. This study examined changes in objectively measured physical activity across the energy expenditure spectrum during a fully automated, online BWL program. Adults with overweight or obesity (n = 63) completed a 12-week, online BWL program. Participants wore an accelerometer for 7 days and body weight was measured in-clinic at pre- and post-treatment. At post-treatment, mean daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity increased by about 4 min (SE = 1.59, p = 0.01). There were no statistically significant changes in light physical activity or time spent sedentary (p's 0.05). Despite only minimal changes in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity overall, larger increases correlated with greater weight loss (r = - 0.28, p = 0.02), which averaged 6.1% of baseline weight at post-treatment. Though achieving important weight loss outcomes, online programs may fail to produce clinically relevant improvements in physical activity, which can put weight loss maintenance at risk.

Perceptions of the physical and social environment have been shown to be predictive of physical activity (PA) behavior. However, the mechanisms of this association have not been examined. OBJECTIVE: Affective response to PA was examined as a putative mediator of the association between perceptions of the PA environment and subsequent PA behavior. METHODS: As part of a PA promotion pilot study, 59 low-active overweight or obese but otherwise healthy adults completed real-time assessments of the perceived physical and social PA environment, affective response to PA, and PA behavior over a 6-month period. RESULTS: As hypothesized, decreased latency to and greater duration of subsequent PA was predicted by engaging in PA with a partner (b=17.24, SE=.45, p

Standard measures of self-efficacy (SE) may confound perceived capability and motivation because respondents interpret the word “can” as “will”. Objective: To test whether priming for the meaning o...

Feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1) is endemic in captive cheetahs and sporadically causes devastating disease. Modified live vaccines (MLV), intended for use in domestic cats, are used in some captive cheetah populations and have been anecdotally linked to disease in certain subpopulations. Ten FHV-1 isolates from ten captive cheetahs and one isolate from an MLV used to inoculate four of the host animals were analyzed. Viral DNA was extracted for full-genome sequencing by Illumina MiSeq with viral genomes then used for phylogenomic and recombinational analyses. The FHV-1 shed by vaccinated cheetahs were almost identical to the MLV, with few variants among viral genomes. Eight cheetah FHV-1 isolates and the MLV were grouped in a clade along with FHV-1 isolates from domestic cats in the USA. The remaining two cheetah FHV-1 isolates (unknown host vaccine status) were not associated with a clade. The likely ancestral origin of these two isolates involves recombination events between Australian domestic cat and cheetah FHV-1 isolates. Collectively, these data suggest that the MLV is capable of causing clinical disease and viral shedding in some cheetahs and represents evidence of interspecies transmission of virus between domestic and wild cats.

Objective: The present study tested the hypothesis that the effect of self-paced exercise on adherence to exercise programs is more pronounced with increasing age. Method: Fifty-nine low-active overweight adults (18-65 years) were encouraged to walk 30 to 60 min/day and randomized to either self-paced ( n = 30) or prescribed moderate-intensity ( n = 29) conditions. Results: The effect of study condition was moderated by age (main effect: b = 6.14, SE = 2.54, p = .02; Condition × Age: b = −11.55, SE = 3.77, p < .01), such that among participants >50 years, those in the self-paced condition exercised 6 more min/day than participants in the prescribed moderate-intensity condition ( p = .02), whereas among participants

Cefovecin is a third-generation cephalosporin with potential value for use in exotic felids due to its long duration of action. A sparse sampling protocol was implemented with 18 zoo-housed cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of cefovecin (Convenia® ) after a single 8 mg/kg intramuscular injection. Blood was collected serially for 15 days following administration, and plasma cefovecin concentrations were determined using high-pressure liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated using population pharmacokinetic methods and non-linear mixed effects modeling (NLME). Cefovecin was well tolerated by all cats, with no adverse effects observed. Peak plasma cefovecin concentration was 84.75 µg/ml, with a mean residence time of 207.9 h and an elimination half-life of 144.1 h (6.00 days). Plasma concentrations of cefovecin were maintained >7 µg/ml in all individuals for the entire study duration (15 days). These concentrations are lower, and the half-life slightly shorter, than the values reported for domestic cats. Cefovecin was highly protein-bound (approximately 99.9%) in cheetah plasma, which is nearly identical to domestic cats. These results indicate that cefovecin is potentially useful as a long-acting antibiotic in cheetahs.

This case series describes hepatocellular neoplasms in 10 Nile lechwe (Kobus megaceros) at two separate zoological institutions in Florida. Histologically, the neoplasms were classified as hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 7), hepatocellular adenoma (n = 2), and hepatobiliary carcinoma (n = 1). Common clinical signs were nonspecific and included thin body condition (n =7), lethargy (n =6), lameness (n =3), and acute recumbency (n =5). Four males and six females were affected, and the mean age at death was 12.7 yr with a range of 4-18 yr. All cases were diagnosed postmortem, and metastasis to various sites, including lung, lymph nodes, and omentum, was found in 40% of cases (n = 4). A single case of hepatocellular carcinoma in a Nile lechwe was described in 2007; however, this is the first reported series of neoplasms in Reduncinae. The pathogenesis behind the development of hepatocellular neoplasms in Nile lechwe has not yet been identified.

This study evaluated the use of a commercially available, visual enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for diagnosis of pregnancy in okapi (Okapia johnstoni), gerenuk (Litocranius walleri), eastern giant eland (Tragelaphus derbianus spp. gigas), and dama gazelle (Nanger dama). This assay has been validated for use in domestic cattle, sheep, goats, and water buffalo. Unlike other blood-based pregnancy associated glycoprotein (PAG) detection methods, this assay does not require sophisticated laboratory equipment for detection or interpretation and can therefore be utilized in many settings. Banked serum samples from gerenuk (n = 11), giant eland (n = 4), dama gazelle (n = 33) and okapi (n = 3) were tested, and a pregnant and nonpregnant sample from each individual were included. The ELISA showed 100% sensitivity and specificity in gerenuk and giant eland samples, and 0% sensitivity in dama gazelle and okapi samples. Using this assay, pregnancy was detected by 7–8 wk gestation in gerenuk and 6 wk in giant eland. These results are consistent with previous studies that were able to accurately detect pregnancy in other members of the family Bovidae, but it is possible that PAGs present in okapi and dama gazelle are structurally dissimilar relative to the intended test target, and are therefore unrecognizable using this test. The faint positivity in the dama gazelle assays may be due to cross-reactivity with other proteins in the sample, or due to inconsistent binding with the dama gazelle PAG. This ELISA appears to be an accurate, rapid, and inexpensive method of point-of-care pregnancy diagnosis in gerenuk and giant eland, but not okapi and dama gazelle. Additional studies should be pursued to further characterize the limits of pregnancy detection using this assay in gerenuk and giant eland, and to investigate the validity of this test in other nondomestic ruminant species.

Objective To pilot test two low-cost and thus financially sustainable incentive programs to promote physical activity (PA) among low-active adults in a community setting. Method In a three-arm randomized controlled trial the effects of small monetary incentives (cash incentives $1/day; n = 25) were compared to charitable donations (donation $1/day; n = 25) and a control group (n = 25) on PA behavior over the course of 12 months in insufficiently active, otherwise healthy adults. Incentives were based on attendance at a local YMCA. Electronic swipe card data from the YMCA was the primary outcome, with self-reported minutes of PA as a secondary outcome. Results Quantile regression models showed promising effects of treatment allocation on the primary outcome (attendance) adjusted for age and employment. There was a difference between cash incentives and control conditions such that median attendance in the cash incentives condition was 19.24 visits more over 12 months (b = 19.24; SE = 8.26, 95% CI [2.75, 35.72]). There was a similar though only marginally significant trend for the donation condition showing that participants in the donation condition made 11.88 additional visits to the YMCA over 12 months relative to the control condition (b = 11.88, SE = 8.41,95% CI [-0.91, 28.67]). There was a significant correlation between objectively verified YMCA attendance and self-reported moderate-to-vigorous PA at the YMCA (ρ = 0.587) over 12 months. Conclusions These promising findings provide early support for small monetary incentives and charitable donations for promoting PA in community settings. Further research on the efficacy of using financially sustainable incentive programs, including charitable donations, for PA through community organizations (e.g., YMCAs) seems warranted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Regular physical activity (PA) enhances weight-loss and reduces risk of chronic disease. However, as few as 10% of U.S. adults engage in regular PA. Incentive programs to promote PA have shown some promise, but have typically used incentives that are too large to sustain over time and have not demonstrated habit formation or been tested in community settings. This report presents the rationale and design of a randomized pilot study testing the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of small monetary incentives for PA (n = 25) versus charitable donations in the same amount (n = 25) versus control (n = 25) over 12 months among 75 low-active but otherwise healthy adults at a local YMCA. Incentives are based on YMCA attendance, which is verified by electronic swipe card data and is the primary study outcome, with self-reported minutes/week of PA assessed as a secondary outcome. Incentives are intentionally small enough—$1/session, maximum of $5/week—such that they could be indefinitely sustained by community organizations, privately-owned health clubs, healthcare organizations, or employers (e.g., employer fitness facilities). Costs of the incentive program for the sponsoring organization may be partially offset by increases in membership resulting from the appeal of the program. Moreover, if efficacious, the charitable donation incentive program may have the added benefit of building social capital for the sponsoring organization and potentially serving as a tax write-off, thus further offsetting the cost of the incentives. Findings will also have implications for the use of financially sustainable community-based incentive programs for other health-related behaviors (e.g., weight loss, smoking).

Over the past seventy years, biomedical and epidemiological research has shown that regular physical activity (PA) is critical for physical and mental health. Despite this knowledge, physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality, accounting for 9% (5.3 million) of premature deaths annually. We suggest this mismatch between knowing about the risks of PA and engaging in regular PA can be reconciled by focusing less on expected health benefits of PA and more on how people feel during PA. Specifically, in this position paper, we argue that affective response (feeling good versus bad) to PA is an intermediate phenotype that can explain significant variance in PA behavior and is, in turn, a function of genetic variability. In making this argument, we first review empirical evidence showing that affective response to PA predicts future physical activity behavior. Second, we systematically review research on single nucleotide morphisms (SNPs) that are associated with affective response to PA. Investigating affective response to PA as an intermediate phenotype will allow future researchers to move beyond asking "What SNPs are associated with PA?", and begin asking "How do these SNPs influence PA?", thus ultimately optimizing the translation of knowledge gained from genomic data to intervention development.

Background Behavioral lifestyle intervention (BLI) is recommended as a first-line treatment for obesity. While BLI has been adapted for online delivery to improve potential for dissemination while reducing costs and barriers to access, weight losses are typically inferior to gold standard treatment delivered in-person. It is therefore important to refine and optimize online BLI in order to improve the proportion of individuals who achieve a minimum clinically significant weight loss and mean weight loss. Study design Five experimental intervention components will be tested as adjuncts to an established 12-month online BLI: virtual reality for BLI skills training, interactive video feedback, tailored intervention to promote physical activity, skills for dysregulated eating, and social support combined with friendly competition. Following the Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST) framework, the components will first be refined and finalized during Preparation Phase pilot testing and then evaluated in a factorial experiment with 384 adults with overweight or obesity. A priori optimization criteria that balance efficacy and efficiency will be used to create a finalized treatment package that produces the best weight loss outcomes with the fewest intervention components. Mediation analysis will be conducted to test hypothesized mechanisms of action and a moderator analysis will be conducted to understand for whom and under what circumstances the interventions are effective. Conclusion This study will provide important information about intervention strategies that are useful for improving outcomes of online BLI. The finalized treatment package will be suitable for testing in a future randomized trial in the MOST Evaluation Phase.

A 7-yr-old male Major Mitchell's cockatoo (Lophochroa leadbeateri) presented with a recent history of lethargy and anorexia. Physical examination revealed poor body condition and cloacal prolapse. Abnormalities on serum chemistry included severe hyperuricemia and hyperphosphatemia with a low calcium-to-phosphorus ratio. Symptomatic treatment was initiated including intravenous fluids and antibiotics. The bird continued to decline and died within a few days. Visceral gout and renal and cloacal pathology were observed on gross necropsy. Histopathology revealed chronic inflammation within the kidney, ureter, and cloaca in association with protozoal organisms and an invasive cloacal adenocarcinoma tumor. The location and morphology was consistent with Cryptosporidium sp., confirmed by immunohistochemistry and molecular testing. Direct sequencing identified Cryptosporidium avian genotype V. To the author's knowledge, this is the first reported infection of Cryptosporidium avian genotype V associated with clinical disease in birds and the first renal Cryptosporidium infection in a psittacine.

Objectives Research has demonstrated that health outcomes are significantly improved with the application of financial incentives. However, relatively larger incentives are not typically sustainable and removal of incentives tends to result in attrition of behavior. The feasibility of using relatively smaller incentives to improve physical activity is unclear. The aim of the present study is to determine whether small financial incentives (maximum $5.00 per week) can improve exercise-related energy expenditure of inactive individuals. Methods Twenty-two university students (20 ±1.6 years old) were randomized into incentive or non-incentive conditions. Exercise-related caloric expenditure was tracked over 10 weeks. Results The sample size yielded 62% power. The repeated measures ANCOVA, controlling for body mass index, indicated a main effect of condition (F = 5.50, p =.03) with no significant interaction (F = 2.25, p = .06). Conclusions This pilot study demonstrates initial feasibility in implementing small financial incentives to promote exercise behavior in previously inactive young adults. Due to the small sample size, results should be interpreted with caution and further research is warranted to improve and maintain exercise behavior in response to relatively smaller incentives.

A 17-yr-old, 22.2-kg, intact female sulcata tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata) was presented for evaluation of a suspected intestinal obstruction and a 2-month history of hind-limb weakness, anorexia, lack of defecation, and decreased urine production. Clinical signs included generalized subcutaneous edema, pelvic limb paresis, decreased vent tone, and ataxia. Computed tomography (CT) identified findings consistent with a chronic compression fracture of the eighth cervical vertebrae with severe extradural compression of the spinal cord and near-complete obliteration of the vertebral canal. The tortoise was medically managed in the hospital for 13 days and discharged with analgesic and antibiotic medications. Over the following weeks, the tortoise regained an ability to defecate and urinate, and the tortoise's motor deficits mildly improved. A recheck contrast CT at 39 wk postdischarge was consistent with remodeling of the chronic compression fracture and mildly improved extradural compression of the spinal cord. Approximately 2 yr after the initial presentation, the motor limb deficits were still present. Thirty-three months after initial presentation, the tortoise presented obtunded and with anasarca. The tortoise was euthanized, and the necropsy revealed bilateral demyelination with moderate axonal loss, astrocyte reactivity, and moderate dural fibrosis in the spinal cord, consistent with chronic compression at the level of C8. This report illustrates an unusual presentation of a chronic cervical vertebral fracture and spinal cord compression that was diagnosed and monitored via CT, the treatment and recovery of most of the initial clinical signs and persistent motor limb deficits, as well as the postmortem spinal cord histologic findings.

The purpose of the present paper is to provide a summary of scientific findings on the relationship between physical activity (PA) and affect. We provide separate narrative reviews of (a) the association between PA and well-being in the general population; (b) PA as a prophylactic and/or treatment for clinical depression; and (c) immediate affective response to individual PA sessions and the implications for adherence to PA programs. Findings suggest an association between engaging in regular PA and more positive well-being, decreased risk of future depression, and reduction of depressed mood among those who are already depressed. However, despite the fairly strong evidence for these associations, there is less evidence for causal effects of PA on well-being and depression. Individual sessions of PA generally result in positive shifts in affective valence from pre-PA to post-PA, but during PA, affective response is intensity-dependent, with considerable variability for moderate intensity PA. In sum, despite the “physical activity feels good” narrative often portrayed in the popular media, the relationship between PA and affect is complex and multifaceted.

A 3.5-month-old male 1.4 kg red ruffed lemur ( Varecia rubra ) was evaluated following auscultation of a grade IV/VI systolic cardiac murmur during routine neonatal examination. Echocardiography revealed a perimembranous ventricular septal defect (VSD), overriding (dextropositioned) aorta, right ventricular concentric hypertrophy and moderate pulmonic valve stenosis. There was right-to-left blood flow through the VSD. These findings are consistent with a tetralogy of Fallot with right-to-left shunting. Despite the poor prognosis associated with this disease, this patient has done relatively well for six years. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first published report of a tetralogy of Fallot in any lemur species.

Previous research suggests that how people feel throughout the course of a day (i.e. incidental affect) is predictive of exercise behaviour. A mostly separate literature suggests that exercise can lead to more positive incidental affect.This study examines the potential reciprocal effects of incidental affect and exercise behaviour within the same day.Fifty-nine low-active (exercise 60 min/week), overweight (BMI: 25.0-39.9) adults (ages 18-65) participated in a six-month print-based exercise promotion programme.Ecological momentary assessment was used to record self-reported exercise sessions in real time and incidental affective valence (feeling good/bad) as assessed by the 11-point Feeling Scale at random times throughout the day.Use of a within-subjects cross-lagged, autoregressive model showed that participants were more likely to exercise on days when they experienced more positive incidental affect earlier in the day (b = .58, SE = .10, p .01), and participants were more likely to experience more positive incidental affect on days when they had exercised (b = .26, SE = .03, p .01), with the former association significantly stronger than the latter (t = 23.54, p .01).The findings suggest a positive feedback loop whereby feeling good and exercising are reciprocally influential within the course of a day.

National guidelines call for exercise of at least moderate intensity; however, recommending self-paced exercise may lead to better adherence, particularly among overweight and obese adults. The purpose of this study was to test proof-of-concept for recommending self-paced exercise among overweight adults. Fifty-nine healthy, low-active (exercise

Objective—To determine the effects of UVB radiation produced by artificial lights on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculi). Animals—9 juvenile domestic rabbits. Procedures—After an acclimation period, rabbits were anesthetized with isoflurane, and an initial blood sample was collected for determination of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration. Rabbits were randomly assigned to receive 12-hour exposure to UVB radiation produced by 2 compact fluorescent lights daily (n = 5) or no UVB supplementation (4) commencing on day 1. The UVB radiation emitted into the cage was measured at 9 points approximately 34 cm from the surface of the UVB light sources (representing the position of the rabbits in the cage) after 10 hours of exposure on days 1, 8, and 14. On day 14, another blood sample was collected from anesthetized rabbits for determination of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration. Results—The UVB radiation level was 8.3 to 58.1 μW/cm2 for the exposed rabbits and consistently < 0.001 μW/cm2 for the control rabbits. Mean ± SD serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in the rabbits that were or were not provided supplemental UVB radiation for 14 days differed significantly (66.4 ± 14.3 nmol/L and 31.7 ± 9.9 nmol/L, respectively). Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Exposure to UVB radiation produced by artificial light significantly increased serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration in juvenile rabbits. Because vitamin D is an essential hormone in vertebrates, these findings suggested that the provision of supplemental UVB radiation to captive rabbits may be important.

Chronic lymphoplasmacytic gastritis in two red-capped mangabeys (Cercocebus torquatus) at a zoological facility progressed to severe hypertrophic gastropathy similar to Ménétrier's disease that affects humans. Clinical signs included emesis, diarrhea, hunched posture consistent with abdominal pain, anemia, and hypoproteinemia. Large gastric masses were present and in one case created a gastric outflow obstruction. Both cases were positive for simian immunodeficiency virus and Helicobacter spp. were variably isolated, although the association with the hypertrophic gastropathy is unclear. Medical treatment had varying success and included sucralfate, H2 receptor antagonists, proton pump inhibitors, diet manipulations, and antibiotic therapies targeting Helicobacter spp. Surgical resection of a large portion of the stomach resulted in some palliative improvement in one case. Overall, this disease presented many challenges regarding identification, confirmation of diagnosis, and clinical management. Both aggressive medical and surgical treatments were unrewarding for long-term management of hypertrophic gastropathy in this pair of red-capped mangabeys and resulted in a poor prognosis in these cases.

Aerobic exercise has been proposed as a stand-alone or adjunct smoking cessation treatment, but findings have been mixed. Laboratory studies have shown that individual exercise sessions lead to decreases in withdrawal symptoms and cigarette cravings, but findings are limited by lack of follow-up and artificial settings. On the other hand, smoking cessation treatment RCTs have generally failed to show positive effects of exercise on smoking cessation, but have been plagued by poor and/or unverified compliance with exercise programs. This paper describes the rationale and design for Quit for Health (QFH)--an RCT designed to determine the efficacy of aerobic exercise as an adjunct smoking cessation treatment among women. To overcome limitations of previous research, compliance with the exercise (and wellness contact control) program is incentivized and directly observed, and ecological momentary assessment is used to examine change over time in withdrawal symptoms and cigarette cravings in participants' natural environments.

Two tigers (Panthera tigris), six and seven years old, presented for laparoscopic ovariectomy. The tigers were privately owned and had never been bred. Both animals had been receiving 375 mg medroxyprogesterone acetatea intramuscularly every 6 months for contraception.

Affective response to exercise may mediate the effects of self-paced exercise on exercise adherence. Fiftynine low-active (exercise f2 = 0.02); (b) effects of affective response on duration/latency of the next exercise session (path b = 0.47, SE = 0.25, f2 = 0.04); and (c) indirect effects of experimental condition on exercise outcomes via affective response (path ab = 0.11, SE = 0.06, f2 = 0.10). Results provide modest preliminary support for a mediational pathway linking self-paced exercise, affective response, and exercise adherence.

The low rates of regular exercise and overall physical activity (PA) in the general population represent a significant public health challenge. Previous research suggests that, for many people, exercise leads to a negative affective response and, in turn, reduced likelihood of future exercise. The purpose of this paper is to examine this exercise-affect-adherence relationship from an evolutionary perspective. Specifically, we argue that low rates of physical exercise in the general population are a function of the evolved human tendency to avoid unnecessary physical exertion. This innate tendency evolved because it allowed our evolutionary ancestors to conserve energy for physical activities that had immediate adaptive utility such as pursuing prey, escaping predators, and engaging in social and reproductive behaviors. The commonly observed negative affective response to exercise is an evolved proximate psychological mechanism through which humans avoid unnecessary energy expenditure. The fact that the human tendencies toward negative affective response to and avoidance of unnecessary physical activities are innate does not mean that they are unchangeable. Indeed, it is only because of human-engineered changes in our environmental conditions (i.e., it is no longer necessary for us to work for our food) that our predisposition to avoid unnecessary physical exertion has become a liability. Thus, it is well within our capabilities to reengineer our environments to once again make PA necessary or, at least, to serve an immediate functional purpose. We propose a two-pronged approach to PA promotion based on this evolutionary functional perspective: First, to promote exercise and other physical activities that are perceived to have an immediate purpose, and second, to instill greater perceived purpose for a wider range of physical activities. We posit that these strategies are more likely to result in more positive (or at least less negative) affective responses to exercise, better adherence to exercise programs, and higher rates of overall PA.

Adolescent cigarette smoking remains a significant public health problem and a major cause of cardiovascular disease later in life. Understanding the processes underlying adolescent smoking initiation, progression, and cessation may allow for improved interventions in this population for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Theoretical models of smoking initiation and relapse suggest that dynamic processes, such as changes in affect state or outcome expectancies, should proximally cause changes in smoking behavior. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) methods provide an opportunity to examine these types of dynamic processes. EMA involves measuring a smoker’s experiences and behaviors as they are occurring in real time in the natural environment. The results of recent studies that have used EMA to examine adolescent smoking are reviewed in this article. The findings provide important information about how dynamic processes involving affect states and external contexts may influence smoking among adolescents. EMA studies may substantially impact theoretical models of adolescent smoking and future treatment interventions.

On 10 November 2012 (day 0), a privately owned 6-year-old female orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) from southern Florida, USA, presented with a 2-week history of illness. The patient had first been noted ...

This case describes the clinical presentation and findings of exocrine pancreatic carcinoma in a 9-year-old female sprayed ferret (Mustela putorius furo). Transcoelomic metastasis and hemorrhagic abdominal effusion were secondary to the neoplasm. The finding of mast cells in abdominal effusion, with a leukocyte component composed primarily of lymphocytes and lesser numbers of neutrophils and macrophages, is an atypical finding, never before reported in ferrets.

Lesions associated with storage of red blood cells (RBC) in different anticoagulants have been well described in mammals, but not in reptiles to date. The objectives of this study were to document biochemical changes of American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) packed RBC stored in citrate–phosphate–dextrose–adenine (CPDA-1) and acid–citrate–dextrose (ACD) anticoagulants over the course of 35 days and to describe qualitative and quantitative morphologic changes over 295 days. Blood samples were collected via the occipital sinus from 6 captive-born American alligators of mixed sex (1 male, 5 females). Spun packed cell volume (PCV), total solids, and blood lead levels were analyzed with the use of heparinized blood on Day 0. Samples in CPDA-1 and ACD were stored at 4°C (39.2°F) and the following parameters serially evaluated at varying time points until Day 35: blood culture, blood gas analysis, PCV, methemoglobin, osmotic fragility, and morphologic evaluation by light and transmission electr...