Does neighbourhood walkability moderate the effects of mass media communication strategies to promote regular physical activity?

Background: Mass media campaigns are widely used in Australia and elsewhere to promote physical activity among adults. Neighbourhood walkability is consistently shown to be associated with walking and total activity. Campaigns may have different effects on individuals living in high and low walkable neighbourhoods. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to compare pre- and post-campaign cognitive and behavioural impacts of the Heart Foundation’s Find Thirty every day® campaign, in respondents living in high and lower walkable neighbourhoods. Methods: Pre- and post-campaign cross-sectional survey data were linked with objectively measured neighbourhood walkability. Cognitive and behavioural impacts were assessed using logistic regression stratified by walkability. Results: Cognitive impacts were significantly higher post-campaign and consistently higher in respondents in high compared with lower walkable neighbourhoods. Post campaign sufficient activity was significantly higher and transport walking significantly lower, but only in residents of lower walkable areas. Conclusions: Cognitive impacts of mass media physical activity campaigns may be enhanced by living in a more walkable neighbourhood

NF-kappaB mediates the survival of human bronchial epithelial cells exposed to cigarette smoke extract

Background: We have previously reported that low concentrations of cigarette smoke extract induce DNA damage without leading to apoptosis or necrosis in human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs), and that IL-6/STAT3 signaling contributes to the cell survival. Since NF-kappa B is also involved in regulating apoptosis and cell survival, the current study was designed to investigate the role of NF-kappa B in mediating cell survival in response to cigarette smoke exposure in HBECs. Methods: Both the pharmacologic inhibitor of NF-kappa B, curcumin, and RNA interference targeting p65 were used to block NF-kappa B signaling in HBECs. Apoptosis and cell survival were then assessed by various methods including COMET assay, LIVE/DEAD Cytotoxicity/Viability assay and colony formation assay. Results: Cigarette smoke extract (CSE) caused DNA damage and cell cycle arrest in S phase without leading to apoptosis in HBECs as evidenced by TUNEL assay, COMET assay and DNA content assay. CSE stimulated NF-kappa B -DNA binding activity and up-regulated Bcl-XL protein in HBECs. Inhibition of NF-kappa B by the pharmacologic inhibitor curcumin (20 mu M) or suppression of p65 by siRNA resulted in a significant increase in cell death in response to cigarette smoke exposure. Furthermore, cells lacking p65 were incapable of forming cellular colonies when these cells were exposed to CSE, while they behaved normally in the regular culture medium. Conclusion: The current study demonstrates that CSE activates NF-kappa B and up-regulates Bcl-XL through NF-kappa B activation in HBECs, and that CSE induces cell death in cells lacking p65. These results suggest that activation of NF-kappa B regulates cell survival following DNA damage by cigarette smoke in human bronchial epithelial cells.http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000260432600001&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=8e1609b174ce4e31116a60747a720701Respiratory SystemSCI(E)28ARTICLEnull

Perceived crime and traffic safety is related to physical activity among adults in Nigeria

Background: Neighborhood safety is inconsistently related to physical activity, but is seldom studied in developing countries. This study examined associations between perceived neighborhood safety and physical activity among Nigerian adults. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, accelerometer-based physical activity (MVPA), reported walking, perceived crime and traffic safety were measured in 219 Nigerian adults. Logistic regression analysis was conducted, and the odds ratio for meeting health guidelines for MVPA and walking was calculated in relation to four safety variables, after adjustment for potential confounders. Results: Sufficient MVPA was related to more perception of safety from traffic to walk (OR = 2.28, CI = 1.13-6.25) and more safety from crime at night (OR = 1.68, CI = 1.07-3.64), but with less perception of safety from crime during the day to walk (OR = 0.34, CI = 0.06- 0.91). More crime safety during the day and night were associated with more walking. Conclusions: Perceived safety from crime and traffic were associated with physical activity among Nigerian adults. These findings provide preliminary evidence on the need to provide safe traffic and crime environments that will make it easier and more likely for African adults to be physically active

Changes in Employment Uncertainty and the Fertility Intention-Realization Link: An Analysis Based on the Swiss Household Panel.

How do changes in employment uncertainty matter for fertility? Empirical studies on the impact of employment uncertainty on reproductive decision-making offer a variety of conclusions, ranging from gender and socio-economic differences in the effect of employment uncertainty on fertility intentions and behaviour, to the effect of employment on changes in fertility intentions. This article analyses the association between a change in subjective employment uncertainty and fertility intentions and behaviour by distinguishing male and female partners' employment uncertainty, and examines the variation in these associations by education. Using a sample of men and women living in a couple from the Swiss Household Panel (SHP 2002-2011), we examine through multinomial analysis how changes in employment uncertainty and selected socio-demographic factors are related to individual childbearing decisions. Our results show strong gendered effects of changes in employment uncertainty on the revision of reproductive decisions among the highly educated population

Accounting Transparency of Non-Governmental Organizations: A Bibliometric Analysis

As non-governmental organizations (NGOs) become increasingly i nvolved in international affairs, they face a growing deficit of confidence d ue to opacity of information environment. This opacity not only affects NG O financing, but also decreases public confidence in NGOs, affecting negati vely their sustainability. Due to the crucial role of transparency in NGOs, t he present study performs a bibliometric analysis of the research on accoun ting transparency.2019-2