Objectively Measured Physical Activity in Patients with COPD: Recommendations from an International Task Force on Physical Activity

Physical activity (PA) is of key importance for health among healthy persons and individuals with COPD. PA has multiple dimensions that can be assessed and quantified objectively using activity monitors. Moreover, as shown in the published literature, variable methodologies have been used to date to quantify PA among individuals with COPD, precluding clear comparisons of outcomes across studies. The present paper aims to provide a summary of the available literature for the rationale behind using objectively measured PA and proposes a standardized methodology for assessment, including standard operating procedures for future research. The present paper therefore describes the concept of PA, reports on the importance of PA, summarizes the dimensions of PA, provides a standard operating procedure how to monitor PA using objective assessments and describes the psychometric properties of objectively measured PA. The present international task force recommends implementation of the standard operating procedure for PA data collection and reporting in the future. This should allow to further clarify the relationship between PA and clinical outcomes, to test the impact of treatment interventions on PA in individuals with COPD and to successfully propose a PA endpoint for regulatory qualification in the future

Characterization and Reactivity of the [N,N-Dimethyl(thioformamidyl)]-9-fluorenyl Cation

The 9-[N,N-dimethyl(thioformamidyl)]-9-fluorenyl cation was generated under stable ion conditions and characterized by UV/visible and NMR spectroscopy and methanol trapping reactions. The same cation was generated by laser excitation of the appropriate chloride precursor in 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol, and rate constants for nucleophilic quenching by alcohols and several anions were measured. The quenching data for this and other 9-fluorenyl cations demonstrate that the reactivity decreases for 9-substituents in the order H > carbomethoxy > N,N-dimethyl(thioformamidyl), demonstrating that the thioamidyl group imparts substantial kinetic stabilization to an adjacent cationic center. Both steric and electronic factors are suggested to be important in determining this reactivity order.NRC publication: Ye