Associations of neighborhood characteristics with active park use : an observational study in two cities in the USA and Belgium

Background: Public parks can be an important setting for physical activity promotion, but to increase park use and the activity levels of park users, the crucial attributes related to active park use need to be defined. Not only user characteristics and structural park attributes, but also characteristics of the surrounding neighborhood are important to examine. Furthermore, internationally comparable studies are needed, to find out if similar intervention strategies might be effective worldwide. The main aim of this study was to examine whether the overall number of park visitors and their activity levels depend on study site, neighborhood walkability and neighborhood income. Methods: Data were collected in 20 parks in Ghent, Belgium and San Diego, USA. Two trained observers systematically coded park characteristics using the Environmental Assessment of Public Recreation Spaces (EAPRS) tool, and park user characteristics using the System for Observing Play and recreation in Communities (SOPARC) tool. Multilevel multiple regression models were conducted in MLwiN 2.25. Results: In San Diego parks, activity levels of park visitors and number of vigorously active visitors were higher than in Ghent, while the number of visitors walking and the overall number of park visitors were lower. Neighborhood walkability was positively associated with the overall number of visitors, the number of visitors walking, number of sedentary visitors and mean activity levels of visitors. Neighborhood income was positively associated with the overall number of visitors, but negatively with the number of visitors being vigorously active. Conclusions: Neighborhood characteristics are important to explain park use. Neighborhood walkability-related attributes should be taken into account when promoting the use of existing parks or creating new parks. Because no strong differences were found between parks in high-and low-income neighborhoods, it seems that promoting park use might be a promising strategy to increase physical activity in low-income populations, known to be at higher risk for overweight and obesity

Using an audit tool (MAPS Global) to assess the characteristics of the physical environment related to walking for transport in youth : reliability of Belgian data

Background: The aim was to examine inter-rater and alternate-form reliability of the Microscale Audit of Pedestrian Streetscapes (MAPS) Global tool to assess the physical environment along likely walking routes in Belgium. Methods: For 65 children participating in the BEPAS-children study, routes between their individual homes and the nearest pre-defined destination were defined. Using MAPS Global, physical environmental characteristics of the routes were audited by 4 trained auditors (2 on-site, 2 online using Google Street View). Inter-rater reliability was studied for on-site and online ratings separately. Alternate-form reliability was examined by comparing on-site with online ratings. Results: Inter-rater reliability for on-site ratings was acceptable for 68% of items (kappa range 0.03–1.00) and for online ratings for 60% of items (kappa range −0.03 to 1.00). Acceptable alternate-form reliability was reported for 60% of items (kappa range −0.01 to 1.00/r range 0.31–1.00). Conclusions: MAPS Global can be used to assess the physical environment of potential walking routes. For areas where Google Street View imagery is widely covered and often updated, MAPS Global can be completed online

Single shot parameter estimation via continuous quantum measurement

We present filtering equations for single shot parameter estimation using continuous quantum measurement. By embedding parameter estimation in the standard quantum filtering formalism, we derive the optimal Bayesian filter for cases when the parameter takes on a finite range of values. Leveraging recent convergence results [van Handel, arXiv:0709.2216 (2008)], we give a condition which determines the asymptotic convergence of the estimator. For cases when the parameter is continuous valued, we develop quantum particle filters as a practical computational method for quantum parameter estimation.Comment: 9 pages, 5 image

Non Animal Methodologies (NAMs): research, testing, assessment and applications

The role of Academia to train new generation of scientists and future researchers on Non Animal Methodologies (NAMs) is crucial. Professor/student community from the Università degli Studi di Milano, Module Toxicology and in vitro models II year Master Degree, Veterinary Biotechnological Sciences Curriculum, worked together through a didactic integrated approach, in order to define Educational impact of NAMs

Is Your Neighborhood Designed to Support Physical Activity? A Brief Streetscape Audit Tool.

INTRODUCTION:Macro level built environment factors (eg, street connectivity, walkability) are correlated with physical activity. Less studied but more modifiable microscale elements of the environment (eg, crosswalks) may also affect physical activity, but short audit measures of microscale elements are needed to promote wider use. This study evaluated the relation of a 15-item neighborhood environment audit tool with a full version of the tool to assess neighborhood design on physical activity in 4 age groups. METHODS:From the 120-item Microscale Audit of Pedestrian Streetscapes (MAPS) measure of street design, sidewalks, and street crossings, we developed the 15-item version (MAPS-Mini) on the basis of associations with physical activity and attribute modifiability. As a sample of a likely walking route, MAPS-Mini was conducted on a 0.25-mile route from participant residences toward the nearest nonresidential destination for children (n = 758), adolescents (n = 897), younger adults (n = 1,655), and older adults (n = 367). Active transportation and leisure physical activity were measured with age-appropriate surveys, and accelerometers provided objective physical activity measures. Mixed-model regressions were conducted for each MAPS item and a total environment score, adjusted for demographics, participant clustering, and macrolevel walkability. RESULTS:Total scores of MAPS-Mini and the 120-item MAPS correlated at r = .85. Total microscale environment scores were significantly related to active transportation in all age groups. Items related to active transport in 3 age groups were presence of sidewalks, curb cuts, street lights, benches, and buffer between street and sidewalk. The total score was related to leisure physical activity and accelerometer measures only in children. CONCLUSION:The MAPS-Mini environment measure is short enough to be practical for use by community groups and planning agencies and is a valid substitute for the full version that is 8 times longer

Transcriptome analysis of differentiating spermatogonia stimulated with kit ligand

Kit ligand (KL) is a survival factor and a mitogenic stimulus for differentiating spermatogonia. However, it is not known whether KL also plays a role in the differentiative events that lead to meiotic entry of these cells. We performed a wide genome analysis of difference in gene expression induced by treatment with KL of spermatogonia from 7-day-old mice, using gene chips spanning the whole mouse genome. The analysis revealed that the pattern of RNA expression induced by KL is compatible with the qualitative changes of the cell cycle that occur during the subsequent cell divisions in type A and B spermatogonia, i.e. the progressive lengthening of the S phase and the shortening of the G2/M transition. Moreover, KL up-regulates in differentiating spermatogonia the expression of early meiotic genes (for instance: Lhx8, Nek1, Rnf141, Xrcc3, Tpo1, Tbca, Xrcc2, Mesp1, Phf7, Rtel1), whereas it down-regulates typical spermatogonial markers (for instance: Pole, Ptgs2, Zfpm2, Egr2, Egr3, Gsk3b, Hnrpa1, Fst, Ptch2). Since KL modifies the expression of several genes known to be up-regulated or down-regulated in spermatogonia during the transition from the mitotic to the meiotic cell cycle, these results are consistent with a role of the KL/kit interaction in the induction of their meiotic differentiation

The effectiveness of the anti-CD11d treatment is reduced in rat models of spinal cord injury that produce significant levels of intraspinal hemorrhage

We have previously reported that administration of a CD11d monoclonal antibody (mAb) improves recovery in a clip-compression model of SCI. In this model the CD11d mAb reduces the infiltration of activated leukocytes into the injured spinal cord (as indicated by reduced intraspinal MPO). However not all anti-inflammatory strategies have reported beneficial results, suggesting that success of the CD11d mAb treatment may depend on the type or severity of the injury. We therefore tested the CD11d mAb treatment in a rat hemi-contusion model of cervical SCI. In contrast to its effects in the clip-compression model, the CD11d mAb treatment did not improve forelimb function nor did it significantly reduce MPO levels in the hemi-contused cord. To determine if the disparate results using the CD11d mAb were due to the biomechanical nature of the cord injury (compression SCI versus contusion SCI) or to the spinal level of the injury (12th thoracic level versus cervical) we further evaluated the CD11d mAb treatment after a T12 contusion SCI. In contrast to the T12 clip compression SCI, the CD11d mAb treatment did not improve locomotor recovery or significantly reduce MPO levels after T12 contusion SCI. Lesion analyses revealed increased levels of hemorrhage after contusion SCI compared to clip-compression SCI. SCI that is accompanied by increased intraspinal hemorrhage would be predicted to be refractory to the CD11d mAb therapy as this approach targets leukocyte diapedesis through the intact vasculature. These results suggest that the disparate results of the anti-CD11d treatment in contusion and clip-compression models of SCI are due to the different pathophysiological mechanisms that dominate these two types of spinal cord injuries

Creation of NOON states by double Fock-state/Bose-Einstein condensates

NOON states (states of the form $|N>_{a}|0>_{b}+|0>_{a}|N>_{b}$ where $a$ and $b$ are single particle states) have been used for predicting violations of hidden-variable theories (Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger violations) and are valuable in metrology for precision measurements of phase at the Heisenberg limit. We show theoretically how the use of two Fock state/Bose-Einstein condensates as sources in a modified Mach Zender interferometer can lead to the creation of the NOON state in which $a$ and $b$ refer to arms of the interferometer and $N$ is the total number of particles in the two condensates. The modification of the interferometer involves making conditional ``side'' measurements of a few particles near the sources. These measurements put the remaining particles in a superposition of two phase states, which are converted into NOON states by a beam splitter. The result is equivalent to the quantum experiment in which a large molecule passes through two slits. The NOON states are combined in a final beam splitter and show interference. Attempts to detect through which ``slit'' the condensates passed destroys the interference.Comment: 8 pages 5 figure

Angular Forces Around Transition Metals in Biomolecules

Quantum-mechanical analysis based on an exact sum rule is used to extract an semiclassical angle-dependent energy function for transition metal ions in biomolecules. The angular dependence is simple but different from existing classical potentials. Comparison of predicted energies with a computer-generated database shows that the semiclassical energy function is remarkably accurate, and that its angular dependence is optimal.Comment: Tex file plus 4 postscript figure

Analysis of the gene expression profile of mouse male meiotic germ cells

Wide genome analysis of difference in gene expression between spermatogonial populations from 7-day-old mice and pachytene spermatocytes from 18-day-old mice was performed using Affymetrix gene chips representing approximately 12,500 mouse known genes or EST sequences, spanning approximately 1/3rd of the mouse genome. To delineate differences in the profile of gene expression between mitotic and meiotic stages of male germ cell differentiation, expressed genes were grouped in functional clusters. The analysis confirmed the previously described pre-meiotic or meiotic expression for several genes, in particular for those involved in the regulation of the mitotic and meiotic cell cycle, and for those whose transcripts are accumulated during the meiotic stages to be translated later in post-meiotic stages. Differential expression of several additional genes was discovered. In few cases (pro-apoptotic factors Bak, Bad and Bax), data were in conflict with the previously published stage-dependent expression of genes already known to be expressed in male germ cells. Northern blot analysis of selected genes confirmed the results obtained with the microarray chips. Six of these were novel genes specifically expressed in pachytene spermatocytes: a chromatin remodeling factor (chrac1/YCL1), a homeobox gene (hmx1), a novel G-coupled receptor for an unknown ligand (Gpr19), a glycoprotein of the intestinal epithelium (mucin 3), a novel RAS activator (Ranbp9), and the A630056B21Rik gene (predicted to encode a novel zinc finger protein). These studies will help to delineate the global patterns of gene expression characterizing male germ cell differentiation for a better understanding of regulation of spermatogenesis in mammals