The purpose of the investigation was to compare mean voice onset time in young and old male subjects, as well as to examine variability of VOT productions with age for prevocalic bilabial, alveolar, and velar voiced and voiceless stop consonants. Forty-five Caucasion.males were divided equally into three.age groups. Ten tokens of six stimulus words were recorded and wide band spectrograms were made. Results of an analysis of variance revealed no significant differences in VOT with age when averages of the phonemes were used for analysis; however, a significant interaction between age and voiced phonemes was found when individual trials of phoneme productions were used for analysis.

This study examines whether obesity affects the accuracy of estimating age-at-death as measured by the age-related changes of the pubic symphysis and auricular surfaces. I scored the hip bones of 119 adults of normal body mass and 126 obese adults (total n = 254) using the SucheyBrooks (1990) method for the pubic symphysis and the Buckberry and Chamberlain (2002) method for the auricular surface. Compared to normal weight individuals, obese individuals exhibited greater inaccuracy in age-at-death estimates when aged from the auricular surface, but not the pubic symphysis. However, age was estimated with less precision in obese individuals using both methods. Obese males are more likely to be aged inaccurately than obese females. The pubic symphysis method may be the preferred method when estimating age in obese individuals, especially males, but forensic anthropologists should use caution when assessing age-at-death in obese adults using either method. / by Jessica L. Drew. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

In light of exceptionally delayed reproductive senescence exhibited by a 64 year old female chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) housed in Florida, endocrinal analyses meant to determine the state of her current reproductive viability were conducted. Urine was collected from the study subject for a period of 88 days spaced within an interim of roughly 6 months and the specimens were sent to the Hominoid Reproductive Ecology Laboratory for assessment. Additional data was collected from three control females in order to provide a basis of comparison against the hormonal markers present in the geriatric study animal. Results indicate that the geriatric female does not presently appear to be cycling, but nor does she exhibit signs of complete reproductive cessation. This could signify that Pan troglodytes adheres to a pattern of reproductive aging not necessarily shared by Homo sapiens, which has further implications for the evolutionary trajectory of menopause in the human female. / by Christina T. Cloutier. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Wu Yan. / "August 2003." / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 141-170). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese.

Access to abstract permanently restricted to Ball State community only. / School of Physical Education, Sport, and Exercise Science

The purpose of this study was to examine the participants of the Ball State University Retirees Fitness (BSURF) program in order to determine the role that habitual participation in an exercise program plays on the aging process. The participants of the BSURF program were divided into two groups: those that have been exercising for seven or more years (LT; n=14), and those that have been exercising for six years or less (ST; n=10). Subjects underwent testing on the following variables: BMI, body composition, resting heart rate and blood pressure, blood lipid profile, biceps muscular strength, trunk flexibility, and the Rockport Walk Test. Group differences were determined using an independent t-test. Despite a significant difference in age and duration of participation time between the LT and ST groups, no statistically significant differences in cardiovascular measurements, anthropometric measurements, and body size were seen between the two study groups. The only exception to the positive effects of this exercise program on the aging process is demonstrated by the trunk flexibility data. The ST group was significantly more flexible (27.6 ± 1.51 cm) than the LT group (17.7 ± 2.67 cm). The results of this study suggest that continued participation in the BSURF program enabled the LT group to maintain their physiological functioning. Further, the length of participation by the members of the BSURF program clearly demonstrates significant adherence, and suggests that a program of moderate intensity in combination with a large social aspect may play a role in the exercise adherence of older adults. / School of Physical Education

Numerous cross-sectional studies have reported an inverse relationship between VO2,,,ax and age. However, few longitudinal investigations have compared the rate of decline in VO2,,.x between women who did or did not report exercise habits consistent with the 1990 ACSM position stand for quantity and quality of exercise. The purpose of this study was to determine if changes in exercise habits and body composition affected age-related changes in VO2.x. Subjects were 91 women (age 40.9 ± 8.8 years at baseline) tested twice between 1973 and 1996 (range of 3.1 - 21.9 years, mean interval of 9.3 ± 4.2 years). The subjects were divided into four physical activity groups based on their reported exercise habits at baseline and follow-up as: non-exercise - exercise (NE-EX; n = 21), NE-NE (n=36), EX-EX (n=19), and EX-NE (n=15). Baseline VOz,,,ax (ml-kg-1-min-1) was significantly higher for the EX vs. NE ( 38.4 ± 8.4 vs.28.8 ± 5.7; f42.2; P<.0001). ANOVA revealed significant differences between the physical activity change groups and mean percent changes in VO2. (% A ml•kg'.min'-yr') (F =10.887; P<.0001) which are listed in the following:NE-NENE-EXEX-EXEX-NE-1.081.58*-1.25-2.21* NE-EX vs. EX-NE; NE-EX vs. EX-EX; and NE-EX vs. NE-NE (P<0.05)There were differences between the following groups: NE-EX vs. EX-NE; NE-EX vs. EX-EX; and NE-EX vs. NE-NE for percent change in VO2max (nl•kg'-min 1•yr 1) with the EX-NE group having the largest decline in VO2max during the follow-up period.Using a multiple regression model after adjusting for the exercise habit groups, the exercise group scheme accounted for 27.3 percent of the variance in percent change in VO2max at step 1 of the analysis (f = 1.09; P < 0.001). Change in percent body fat and change in maximal ventilation accounted for an additional 7.2 percent and 6.5 percent of the variance at steps 2 and 3, respectively. The change in maximal heart rate accounted for an additional 2.5 percent of the variance at step 4, although the statistical significance of the contribution was low (P = 0.057). Increases in body fat and decreases in pulmonary ventilation were found associated with declines in aerobic power while a decline in maximal heart rate between the tests was associated with a decline in percent change in aerobic power.In conclusion, these data demonstrate that: 1) adoption or maintenance of a regular exercise program is associated with less decline in VO2,,. during long-term follow-up compared to women who did not exercisers, and 2) changes in exercise habits, body composition, maximal ventilation, and maximal heart rate accounted for nearly half (43 %) percent of the percent decline per year. / School of Physical Education

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of 20 years of distance running training on the morphological and functional characteristics of skeletal muscle. Sixty men (current age = 49.2 ± 2.4 yr.) were first studied between 1966-1974 when they were all highly trained. Based on their training regimens in the interim between testing, subjects were described as highly trained (HI), fitness trained (FIT) or untrained (UT). Gastrocnemius muscle biopsy samples revealed an increase (p<0.05) in the proportion of type I fibers of the FIT (52.9 ± 5.3 vs. 61.9 ± 5.2%) and UT (56.3 ± 2.9 vs. 65.4 ± 3.8%) groups, while the HI group, who was initially characterized by a high percentage (>70%) of type I muscle fibers, was unchanged. Among the elite distance runners who had continued high volume, high intensity running, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity and type I and type II muscle fiber areas were similar between evaluations. In 1993, the HI group had higher (p<0.05) SDH and citrate synthase (CS) activities compared with the FIT and UT groups, whereas phosphorylase activity did not differ. Capillary density and capillary-to-fiber ratio were also greater (p<0.05) in the HI group compared with the other two groups. Isokinetic plantar flexion strength at 60°/s and 180°/s and cross-sectional area (CT scans) of the lower leg (gastrocnemius and soleus) were similar among groups. These data suggest that aging may have a significant effect upon the distribution of muscle fibers and may be dependent upon fiber composition as a young adult. In addition, sustained endurance training appears to maintain the oxidative characteristics of the skeletal muscle, but does not provide an advantage in absolute calf muscle strength compared with individuals who train considerably less or not at all. / School of Physical Education

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1985 P34 / Master of Science

Caenorhabditis elegans optionally enter into a dauer diapause phase that results in a prolonged life in a semi-dormant state. Entry into and recovery from dauer diapause includes many physical changes in body structure, physiology, and gene expression. Entry into dauer diapause is regulated by several signaling pathways including transforming growth factor (TGF-β). Autophagy plays an important role in dauer formation and recover. During dauer transformation autophagy is up-regulated and may play a role in remodeling the molecular structure for long term survival during dauer diapause. This research helps determine the role of autophagy in dauer development and recovery mediated through the TGF-β signaling pathway. This research also determines in which tissue autophagy is necessary for dauer formation and recovery through TGF-β signaling. This research is shedding light on the function of autophagy in the TGF-β signaling pathway, both processes of which have been linked to tumorigenesis, heart disease and cancer. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection