Daily Timed Sexual Interaction Induces Moderate Anticipatory Activity in Mice

Anticipation of resource availability is a vital skill yet it is poorly understood in terms of neuronal circuitry. Rodents display robust anticipatory activity in the several hours preceding timed daily access to food when access is limited to a short temporal duration. We tested whether this anticipatory behavior could be generalized to timed daily social interaction by examining if singly housed male mice could anticipate either a daily novel female or a familiar female. We observed that anticipatory activity was moderate under both conditions, although both a novel female partner and sexual experience are moderate contributing factors to increasing anticipatory activity. In contrast, restricted access to running wheels did not produce any anticipatory activity, suggesting that an increase in activity during the scheduled access time was not sufficient to induce anticipation. To tease apart social versus sexual interaction, we tested the effect of exposing singly housed female mice to a familiar companion female mouse daily. The female mice did not show anticipatory activity for restricted female access, despite a large amount of social interaction, suggesting that daily timed social interaction between mice of the same gender is insufficient to induce anticipatory activity. Our study demonstrates that male mice will show anticipatory activity, albeit inconsistently, for a daily timed sexual encounter

The effects of partial stable confinement on the voluntary activity of weanling thoroughbred foals : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Animal Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

This thesis discusses an observational study, which evaluates the effects of partial stable confinement on the voluntary activity of weanling Thoroughbreds kept at pasture. Despite the current knowledge identifying the need for early exercise and pasture access in young Thoroughbreds, there is little information on pasture activity, and none on the effects of partial stable confinement on the amount of, and type of, activity when at pasture. It has previously been stated that young horses confined to a stable at night, spend more time cantering and trotting in the paddock during the day, when compared to their unconfined counterparts- the authors suggested this may be compensation for the lack of activity carried out whilst in confinement. Unfortunately, no further research has been carried out to support this theory, and it is therefore unknown how much confinement is required before horses will carry out compensatory activity, and how length of confinement and the subsequent volume of compensatory activity may affect total average daily activity. A study was carried out on a small commercial Thoroughbred stud farm in the Manawatu, to determine the effects of partial stable confinement on the amount, and type of activity six weanling Thoroughbreds carried out on a daily basis. The horse’s remained under normal management conditions, and were kept at pasture, and confined in loose boxes for an average of three hours a day, on mornings decided by the Stud Master, for handling and yearling sales preparation. Activity was monitored for 141 days using a Heyrex biosensor. The sensor containing a tri-axial accelerometer was attached to each horse’s halter, and the data were recorded as Delta-G; the change in acceleration between respective samples. The data were recorded in 15 minute increments, resulting in approximately 576 records per day and possible 13,536 data points per horse (there was a range of 3,456 - 10,272 usable data points per horse). A total of 39,372 15-minute data points were used in the data analysis. Each horse’s activity profile, including total daily activity, average daily activity and proportion of highand low-energy activity, when at pasture and during confinement was analysed. Total average daily activity varied between horses (70,385 – 95,331, P<0.001), however each horse’s total daily activity was highly repeatable across days with no significant difference between horses between days. Partial confinement resulted in a reduction in average daily activity in all horses (67,682 – 84,737, P<0.0088), except Colt 3 who was more active during days of confinement, than on days of no confinement (89903±5073 and 84813±2163, respectively). Partial stable confinement had no significant effect on the proportion of total activity which was highenergy activity (8.69% on days of confinement, vs 12.23% on days of no confinement) except for Colt 3, who carried out a high proportion of high-energy activity during a day of confinement, then on a day of no confinement (18.23% vs 9.14% respectively). This may be a form of compensation, however it was only noted in one horse, and therefore is more likely to be a behavioural response to being isolated to a stable. The proportion of high-energy activity between the hours of 9am-12pm, when confinement would occur, was also not effected by confinement when compared to days of no confinement (8.64% vs 9.80%, respectively), except in Colt 2, who carried out no high-energy activity whilst in confinement between 9am-12pm. The partial confinement of these weanlings appeared to reduce their overall average daily activity, however it did not affect the amount of high-energy activity. Thus partial confinement may not restrict the all-important osteo-inductive high speed activity required to promote optimal musculoskeletal development in weanlings. However, we lacked the experimental design to examine if there was any association of length of confinement and any compensatory activity. Further studies should examine if the length of partial confinement alters the subsequent activity at pasture

The role of travel time budgets – Representation of a demand derived from activity participation

The paper exams the relationships between travel and activity times, in 7 travel surveys from 4 French and 3 Swiss cities, observed at two different periods. First, we test proportional assignment of total daily available time to activities (including transport). Second, proportionality is tested between (1) daily travel time of a given purpose with respect of the daily activity duration and (2) the trip time associated to the duration of the activity at destination. Only daily leisure time and daily travel time are fixed proportion of total daily available time. At disaggregated level, the trip duration do not show proportionality with activity duration. Finally questioning the proportionality and the linear adjustment, we regress the travel time budgets using duration models. This methodology is particularly adapted to the duration analysis and leads to non-linear relation between travel time and activity times. Leisure and shopping activities exhibit increasing and convex travel time intensities.activity-based analysis - time use - travel time

Toward understanding ambulatory activity decline in Parkinson disease

BACKGROUND: Declining ambulatory activity represents an important facet of disablement in Parkinson disease (PD). OBJECTIVE: The primary study aim was to compare the 2-year trajectory of ambulatory activity decline with concurrently evolving facets of disability in a small cohort of people with PD. The secondary aim was to identify baseline variables associated with ambulatory activity at 1- and 2-year follow-up assessments. DESIGN: This was a prospective, longitudinal cohort study. METHODS: Seventeen people with PD (Hoehn and Yahr stages 1-3) were recruited from 2 outpatient settings. Ambulatory activity data were collected at baseline and at 1- and 2-year annual assessments. Motor, mood, balance, gait, upper extremity function, quality of life, self-efficacy, and levodopa equivalent daily dose data and data on activities of daily living also were collected. RESULTS: Participants displayed significant 1- and 2-year declines in the amount and intensity of ambulatory activity concurrently with increasing levodopa equivalent daily dose. Worsening motor symptoms and slowing of gait were apparent only after 2 years. Concurrent changes in the remaining clinical variables were not observed. Baseline ambulatory activity and physical performance variables had the strongest relationships with 1- and 2-year mean daily steps. LIMITATIONS: The sample was small and homogeneous. CONCLUSIONS: Future research that combines ambulatory activity monitoring with a broader and more balanced array of measures would further illuminate the dynamic interactions among evolving facets of disablement and help determine the extent to which sustained patterns of recommended daily physical activity might slow the rate of disablement in PD.This study was funded primarily by the Davis Phinney Foundation and the Parkinson Disease Foundation. Additional funding was provided by Boston University Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (K12 HD043444), the National Institutes of Health (R01NS077959), the Utah Chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA), the Greater St Louis Chapter of the APDA, and the APDA Center for Advanced PD Research at Washington University. (Davis Phinney Foundation; Parkinson Disease Foundation; K12 HD043444 - Boston University Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health; R01NS077959 - National Institutes of Health; Utah Chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA); Greater St Louis Chapter of the APDA; APDA Center for Advanced PD Research at Washington University

The Possible Role of Extra-ocular Photoreceptors in the Entrainment of Lobster Circadian Rhythms to Light:Dark Cycles

The American lobster, Homarus americanus, is a decapod crustacean whose daily nocturnal rhythms of activity are driven, in part, by an internal biological clock. While this circadian clock is capable of producing a rhythm of approximately 24 hours on its own, it can also be entrained to light:dark cycles. Recent findings in our laboratory suggest that lobsters have photosensitive neurons throughout their nervous system (extra-ocular photoreceptors). The objective of this research was to test the hypothesis that these extra-ocular photoreceptors aid in entraining their daily rhythm of activity. First, the locomotion of juvenile American lobsters was measured in trials under a normal 24 hour light:dark cycle. Then, after this “control” period, the lobsters’ eyes were painted with black nail polish and their activity was monitored under the same conditions. The lobsters were also exposed to DD conditions with their eyes covered in one of the trials. During the control LD cycle, lobsters expressed increased locomotion at night, demonstrating their daily rhythm. The DD cycle had a consistent rhythm with an elongated period of activity. Interestingly, half of the lobsters continued to follow the same pattern of activity despite the visual impairment and half expressed a diurnal rhythm. Although there was variation in the locomotor activity, a periodicity of ~24 hours was maintained throughout the LD cycles. This indicates that H. americanus receives photoperiod input from both their eyes and extra-ocular photoreceptors that help synchronize their locomotor activity to LD cycles

Maintaining physical activity in cardiac rehabilitation

This chapter describes an intervention that has been used to encourage individuals to remain regularly physically active in exercise-based CR in phases III and IV.The principles of this intervention are also appropriate for allphases of CR.This intervention, called the exercise consultation (EC), is based on the Transtheoretical Model of behaviour change and Relapse Prevention Model (pp.197-205), and uses cognitive and behavioural strategies to increaseand maintain physical activity (Loughlan and Mutrie,1995,1997). The strategies used in this EC include: assessing stage of change, decisional balance, overcoming barriers to activity, social support, goal setting, self-monitoring and relapse prevention. It involves a client-centred, one-to-one counselling approach and encourages individuals to develop an activity plan, tailored to their needs, readiness to change and lifestyle. The EC aims to encourage accumulated physical activity accumulating at least 30 minutes ofmoderate intensity activity on five days per week (Pate, et al., 1995, stage one, as discussed in Chapter 4). In addition, this level of physical activity may be easier for cardiac patients to incorporate into their daily routine and to sustainin the long term. Thus, the exercise consultation encourages individuals to integrate moderate intensity activity into their daily lives. In addition, EC can help maintain involvement in structured exercise in phases III and IV (SIGN, 2002)