No description available.

The analyses in this dissertation were designed to 1) extend the knowledge of characteristics associated with and predictive of energy intake plausibility (under or overreported energy intake), and 2) extend previous research in a sub-sample of this study population of baseline short-term weight loss predictors to evaluate within the full sample whether baseline psychosocial, behavioral and dietary predictors of weight loss varied by energy intake plausibility. Subjects were 155 overweight or obese perimenopausal women participating in a 4mo lifestyle weight loss program. Based on self-reported intake from 3-d dietary records, women were categorized as energy underreporters (n=71), accurate energy reporters (n=27), or energy overreporters (n=57), using the cut-off values for energy plausibility defined by Goldberg. All subjects completed a comprehensive behavioral and psychosocial battery assessing diet and weight history, life status, weight loss readiness, psychology, eating behavior, physical activity, and self-image. Results from logistic regression models showed that y of education, weight loss aspirations, exercise perceived competence, social support to exercise, and measures of body image were the best predictors of energy underreporting. Dietary carbohydrate and fat intake, health related quality of life, and profile of mood states (anger) were the best predictors of energy overreporting. Baseline predictors of successful weight loss did vary by energy plausibility group, with unique predictors for energy underreporters including fewer previous dieting attempts and exercise perceived obstacles, and energy overreporters including higher TEE, more negative mood status and higher perceived hunger. Overall, more successful weight loss was also associated with higher baseline fruit and vegetable intake. Validation of these findings will help lead to establish factors to account or adjust for bias from energy misreporting, reduce health or disease risk underestimation and improve understanding of nutrition, health and disease relationships. Further, identification of successful weight loss predictors unique to energy under- and overreporters will enhance weight loss profiling and tailoring of interventions to optimize success.

Educational research on students with mild and moderate hearing loss (MMHL), who represent up to 15% of the student population in regular classrooms, provides neither consistent nor meaningful attention to their learning and social-emotional experiences in school contexts. The purpose of this research is to investigate the perspectives of students with MMHL to gain insight into how they, as learners, conceptualize and manage their hearing loss at school and to develop recommendations for researchers and educators. Reviewed literature includes both quantitative and qualitative research which relies heavily on teachers’ and parents’ perspectives and achievement scores over student perspectives. Literature also indicates that there are discrepancies in student reporting depending on methods of data collection. Three students with MMHL were asked directly during in-depth interviews to describe their experiences in educational contexts. Self Determination Theory (SDT) (Deci & Ryan, 1985) provides an analytical and organizing framework for social-emotional elements of these learners’ experiences based on three psychological needs: relatedness, competence, and autonomy. In addition to SDT, a discussion of disability identity development research (e.g., Gill, 1997) provides a supplementary conceptual tool to expand the latent meanings of these experiences and socially constructed elements that students with hearing loss negotiate. Findings provide descriptive accounts of participants’ lived experiences with MMHL in educational contexts. Emergent patterns and themes identify broadly defined yet coherent messages highlighting the importance that educators (a) understand the lived experience of students with MMHL, (b) recognize the inherent contradictions that can accompany this disability, and (c) attend to needs, to communication, learning, and social-emotional needs. Each case indicates that student needs are met inconsistently resulting in adverse consequences for self-determined learning and social-emotional well-being. It is recommended that classroom teachers proactively facilitate potential learning outcomes for students with MMHL by attending to not only academic and communication needs, but to social-emotional needs as well. Researchers in education must further investigate the population of students with MMHL to assess their strengths and to ascertain the type of supports and interventions from which they could benefit. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2010-09-19 17:27:44.048

Spontaneous foetal loss is the most common complication of pregnancy, affecting up to 20% of recognized pregnancies and recurring in 1-3% of cases. Abnormal maternal inflammation and systemic maternal coagulopathies are associated with foetal loss; however, the causal role of inflammation in the development of obstetric coagulopathies has not been determined. Further, questions remain as to whether maternal systemic coagulopathies are associated with placental haemostatic alterations and what role these local alterations play in foetal outcome. We hypothesized that abnormal maternal inflammation during pregnancy is causally linked to maternal coagulopathies and that these coagulopathies are associated with impaired utero-placental blood flow preceding foetal death. To induce inflammation-mediated fetal death, we administered lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 100-µg/kg) to Wistar rats on gestational day 14.5 and characterized the systemic maternal coagulation status 1hr post LPS administration using thromboelastograpy. Utero-placental haemostatic alterations were analyzed by periodic acid Schiff staining (PAS) and immunohistochemistry for fibrin/fibrinogen. Spiral arteriole peak flow velocity was determined by Doppler ultrasound. To determine causality between abnormal maternal inflammation, coagulopathies, and placental hemodynamics, the TNF -inhibitor etanercept (Enbrel®) was administered six hours prior to LPS administration. Systemic maternal coagulopathies were evident in 82% of LPS-treated dams and were associated with specific placental haemostatic alterations as well as reduced utero-placental blood flow. Etanercept administration prevented the development of systemic coagulopathies and placental haemostatic alterations. Furthermore, etanercept maintained normal spiral arteriole peak flow velocity. This study demonstrated that abnormal maternal inflammation is causally linked to systemic coagulopathies specific to pregnancy. Moreover, we showed that inflammation-induced systemic coagulopathies are associated with placental haemostatic alterations and reduced utero-placental blood flow preceding foetal death. Modulation of maternal inflammation may thus be useful in the prevention of coagulopathies associated with complications of pregnancy. / Thesis (Master, Anatomy & Cell Biology) -- Queen's University, 2011-08-01 14:29:12.489

No description available.

The aerosol diluter characteristics of three different systems, the single-stage and the two-stage TSI 379020A rotary disk thermodiluters and Dekati FPS-4000 ejector diluter, were tested using gases and particles over a range of dilution ratios. The upstream and downstream gas and particle concentrations of the diluters were measured in real-time to compute the actual dilution ratio achieved by the three systems. Dilution ratios from approximately 15 to 100 were found to fall within the expected operating error margin of ± 10% for CO2 and CH4. Dilution ratios covering a similar range were also achieved to within ± 10% for particles with diameters from 9.3 to 200 nm. However, when engine exhaust was sampled, significant loss of particles smaller than 29.4 nm occurred during the dilution process. As the dilution ratio increased, the deviation from the expected value increased due to an increase in measurement uncertainty.

The aerosol diluter characteristics of three different systems, the single-stage and the two-stage TSI 379020A rotary disk thermodiluters and Dekati FPS-4000 ejector diluter, were tested using gases and particles over a range of dilution ratios. The upstream and downstream gas and particle concentrations of the diluters were measured in real-time to compute the actual dilution ratio achieved by the three systems. Dilution ratios from approximately 15 to 100 were found to fall within the expected operating error margin of ± 10% for CO2 and CH4. Dilution ratios covering a similar range were also achieved to within ± 10% for particles with diameters from 9.3 to 200 nm. However, when engine exhaust was sampled, significant loss of particles smaller than 29.4 nm occurred during the dilution process. As the dilution ratio increased, the deviation from the expected value increased due to an increase in measurement uncertainty.

Of the three forms of human Apolipoprotein E (ApoE2, ApoE3 and ApoE4), the ?4 allele coding for ApoE4 is associated with a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD) and an earlier age of onset, whereas ?2 may be protective. The mechanisms underlying such influences are still unclear. This thesis has investigated the influence of ApoE polymorphism on structural synaptic parameters in the middle molecular layer (MML) of the dentate gyrus of wild type (WT), ApoE knockout (KO) and human ApoE (hApoE) transgenic mice, from 6 to 24 months of age using unbiased stereological methods at the EM level. In hApoE4 mice, there was a 34% decrease in the synapse per neuron ratio (Syn/nrn) accompanied by a 22% increase in the mean apposition zone area (mAZA) during aging. This pattern resembles closely the synaptic changes occurring early in AD, which have been correlated to the first symptoms of memory loss in humans. In contrast. there was no such synaptic loss in hApoE2, ApoE KO and WT mice. At old age, hApoE4 mice had the lowest syn/nrn but their mAZA was comparable to that of other groups. These data appear to be consistent with the view that possession of ?4 is deleterious to cognitive functions in the elderly and AD patients. Notably, aged ApoE KO mice did not show any sign of synaptic degeneration, suggesting the involvement of other proteins to compensate for the lack of ApoE. At 18 months old, hApoE2 mice have a greater hippocampal volume and display the highest syn/nrn and glutamate immunogold labelling in presynaptic boutons and dendrites of the MML, compared to hApoE3 and hApoE4 mice. In AD patients, such effects of the ?2 allele may act as a synaptic 'reservoir' and delay the onset of AD symptoms. Thus these lines of hApoE transgenic mice could provide a good basis for the future production of multiple transgenic mice in which to model AD pathogenesis.

The effects of exercise and dietary intervention on metabolic syndrome (Mets) markers of inactive premenopausal women were investigated. In Study I, early markers of MetS were examined in young, (21.2 ?? 0.3 years), healthy but unfit women (N = 66) consuming a processed food diet. A second aim was to examine the relationship between ethnic influences (European versus Chinese) and early markers of MetS (e.g., hyperinsulinemia). Study II compared the hormonal and metabolic responses to steady state exercise (SSE) and high intensity interval exercise (HIIE) in untrained young women (N = 18, 21.7 ?? 0.8 years). Women were further divided into high and low fasting insulin levels to determine if hyperinsulinemia influenced hormonal and metabolic response to SSE and HIIE. Study III examined the hormonal and metabolic response to a randomized controlled intervention named the Fish oil, Exercise and Mediterranean diet (FEM) trial. The FEM trial was conducted with overweight, inactive young (23.5 ?? 0.6 years) women (N = 56) for 12 weeks. Characteristics of a subset of women (N = 34, 23.5 ?? 0.7 years) in the FEM trial, non-responders (NRES), who did not lose weight (??? 1% loss in mass), were also examined. Metabolic profiles were developed based on body composition, aerobic fitness, blood markers, diet, resting metabolic rate, medical history, blood pressure, and autonomic function. Body composition was measured by skinfolds and girths, bioimpedance (Tanita, Japan), and Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry. Peak oxygen uptake was assessed using an open circuit spirometer, TrueMax 2400 Metabolic Cart. Venepuncture and cannulation techniques were used for collecting blood samples that were also centrifuged and frozen for later analysis. In Study I young women who were physically unfit and consumed a processed food diet possessed high levels of fasting insulin, HOMA-IR (an insulin resistance index), and C-reactive protein (CRP). Insulin, p < .001, and HOMA-IR, p < .05, were significantly greater in Chinese Australians compared to European Australians, whereas plasma CRP levels were significantly, p < .05, lower. Significant differences, p < .05, existed between the groups with the Chinese Australians possessing lower body composition indices. However, ethnic differences still existed for insulin, HOMA-IR, and CRP after adjusting for body composition. Both groups consumed significantly high protein relative to their body mass. Thus, it appears that hyperinsulinemia is one of the earliest markers of MetS in young inactive females of both European and Asian descent who are unfit and consume a high level of dietary protein. In Study II, HIIE compared to SSE proved to be more effective at preventing an increase in insulin levels in the two hours after exercise. Resting respiratory quotient (RQ) was significantly lower, p < .05, following both HIIE and SSE, whereas plasma glycerol levels were higher, p = .06, suggesting greater lipolysis following HIIE. The women were divided by baseline fasting plasma insulin (> 9.98 ??IU/ml) into high insulin (HI) and low insulin groups (LI). The fasting plasma human growth hormone levels of the HI women were significantly lower at baseline compared to that of LI women. Baseline RQ was correlated with baseline glycerol, r = - .54, p < .05. Insulin levels at one hour post HIIE was related to fasting plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) one hour post exercise, r = .52, p < .05. Fasting plasma leptin at one, r = .56, p < .05, and two, r = .53, p < .05, hours post exercise was associated with 2 hour post insulin levels. Interestingly, fasting ACTH was significantly elevated in the 2 hours post exercise in the HI women compared to LI. All diet data between the groups were similar and lipids were in the healthy range with no significant differences between the women possessing high or low fasting plasma insulin. Thus, young women who completed one session of short duration HIIE compared to SSE improved certain aspects of their metabolic profile (e.g., reduced insulin levels) and enhanced their fat oxidation in the immediate two-hour exercise recovery period. Following FEM (a 12-week multi-component lifestyle intervention) overweight women recorded significantly lower, p < .05, body composition (mass, fat mass, percent body fat, waist circumference), insulin, inflammation (CRP), blood pressure, and lipids. The improvements within the Mediterranean diet (Mediet) were related to the reductions in body weight, fat mass, and insulin. Consumption of saturated fats, legumes, meat, poultry, and egg were also significantly decreased, p < .05, following the trial. Adherence to the Mediet and fish oil consumption, measured through a Mediet score, was significantly increased, p < .001, and was associated with reduced levels of fat mass, r = .43, p < .05. Autonomic function (measured by power frequency analysis), aerobic fitness, and fat oxidation were all significantly, p < .05, enhanced. Therefore, an intervention incorporating fish oil consumption, HIIE, and Mediet significantly reduced body fat, fasting insulin, inflammatory markers, and some blood lipids. Interestingly, some women did not lose fat mass following the FEM intervention, despite experiencing significant reductions in insulin, inflammation, waist circumference, blood pressure, and an increase in aerobic power. The major differences between those women who lost fat and those that did not was that the non-responders possessed significantly lower, p < .05, systolic blood pressure, lower resting heart rate, and a higher resting RQ. In summary, in Study I, young, unfit women consuming a processed diet, demonstrated hyperinsulinemia and low grade inflammation. The high levels of fasting insulin suggest that these women are at a higher risk for developing MetS and type 2 diabetes. The results of Study II suggests that one bout of HIIE compared to a longer bout of SSE was more effective at preventing a rise in post-exercise insulin levels. Finally, results of Study III indicate that a 12-week lifestyle intervention, encompassing HIIE, fish oil ingestion, and a Mediet positively influenced early MetS markers (e.g., hyperinsulinemia), aerobic and anaerobic fitness, low grade inflammation, and body composition in young women.

Thesis (M.S.)--Purdue University--[West Lafayette, Indiana], 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 91-96).