'Own the Podium-2010'. Eine Konzeption führt den kanadischen Wintersport zum Top-Medaillenspiegel bei den Olympischen Winterspielen in Vancouver 2010? Zur Medaillenproduktion für die Olympischen Winterspiele 2010

Olympische Spiele sind die größten internationalen Sportwettkämpfe, die die Welt vereinen. Die auf der Olympischen Flagge abgebildeten fünf Ringe versinnbildlichen die Kontinente. Die 21. Olympischen Winterspiele finden 2010 in Vancouver, Kanada statt. In der Vergangenheit war Kanada bereits zwei Mal Austragungsland der Olympischen Spiele: Die Olympischen Sommerspiele wurden im Jahr 1976 in Montreal und die Olympischen Winterspiele im Jahr 1988 in Calgary veranstaltet. Bisher konnte das kanadische Team im eigenen Land keine guten Ergebnisse verzeichnen. Hingegen sind die Erwartungen an die Mannschaft für die 21. Olympischen Winterspiele sehr hoch. Ziel ist die Nationenwertung im Gesamtmedaillenspiegel zu gewinnen. Im Gesamtmedaillenspiegel werden die Nationen nach der Summe der erreichten Medaillen in eine Reihenfolge gebracht. Kanada muss also im internationalen Vergleich die höchste Anzahl an Medaillen erzielen. Insgesamt werden 35 Gesamtmedaillen angestrebt. Zu den letzten Olympischen Winterspielen in Turin 2006 erreichte die kanadische Mannschaft, mit 24 Medaillen und dem dritten Platz im Gesamtmedaillenspiegel, ihr bisher bestes Ergebnis zu Olympischen Winterspielen. Um die Zielerreichung zu unterstützen, hat das kanadische Olympische Komitee ein millionenschweres Programm aufgelegt: Own the Podium-2010. Im Februar 2005 wird es den Interessenvertretern des kanadischen Wintersports vorgestellt. Eine ähnliche Zielvorstellung wird für die Paralympischen Winterspiele formuliert, welche in der vorliegenden Arbeit nicht dargestellt wird. Own the Podium-2010 enthält zahlreiche Maßnahmen, um die Medaillenproduktion der Kanadier anzusteuern. Hierbei ist die Medaillenproduktion nicht mit einer industriellen Herstellung von Medaillen als Material zu identifizieren. Vielmehr ist der Begriff eine Interpretation der Zielführung von Own the Podium-2010. Medaillenproduktion bedeutet in diesem Zusammenhang alle auf das Ziel ausgerichteten Aktivitäten, um zu den Olympischen Winterspielen mit 35 Medaillen Top-Nation zu werden. Da es zu dem vorliegenden Themenbereich bisher noch keine Erkenntnisse gibt, müssen die für die vorliegende Arbeit notwendigen Informationen aus einer Internetrecherche gewonnen werden. Dabei werden nicht alle notwendigen Daten zur Verfügung gestellt. Der Zugriff auf verwertbare Informationen ist erschwert. Die Informationen sind teilweise ungenau beschrieben, Zusammenhänge sind schwer nachvollziehbar. Ein Puzzle-Spiel beginnt. Darüber hinaus bleiben viele Informationen verdeckt, da der kanadische Wintersport verständlicherweise seine Vorgehensweise im Hochleistungssport nicht bzw. nur eingeschränkt veröffentlicht, um gegenüber anderen Nationen aus den möglichen Wettbewerbserfolg für die Olympischen Winterspiele 2010 profitieren zu können. Aufgrund der benannten Rahmenbedingungen gestaltet sich die Bearbeitung des Themenbereichs als schwierig. Die Quellen sind in englischer und französischer Sprache zur Verfügung gestellt. Die Wiedergabe erfolgt in eigener Übersetzung

Examining Longitudinal Relations Between Mothers’ and Fathers’ Parenting Stress, Parenting Behaviors, and Adolescents’ Behavior Problems

Parenting stress of mothers has frequently been linked to negative child outcomes. According to Abidin’s stress model, this relationship may be explained by dysfunctional parenting behaviors. In this study, we scrutinized the effects of both mothers and fathers in the pathway from parenting stress through parenting behaviors to subsequent adolescent behavior problems. We expected the association between parenting stress and adolescent behavior problems to be partially mediated by maternal and paternal parenting behaviors. Further, we expected crossover effects, i.e., that parenting stress of one parent was related to the parenting behavior of the other parent. We applied a 3-wave longitudinal design using data from 441 adolescents (52% girls) and their parents (419 fathers; 436 mothers). Parents reported on parenting stress (adolescent age range = 10.9–16.3 years). Adolescents reported on perceived parental overreactivity and warmth (age range = 12.9–18.3) and their own internalizing and externalizing problems (age range = 15.9–21.3). Despite cross-sectional significant associations between parenting stress, parenting behavior, and adolescent behavior problems, we found no evidence of longitudinal linkages. One exception was maternal parenting stress, which positively predicted later adolescent externalizing problems. Consequently, the mediating role of parenting behaviors was not supported. We found no crossover effects in the pathway from parenting stress to parenting behaviors. The discrepancies between our longitudinal and cross-sectional findings raise

Alternde Gesellschaften in Europa. Empirische Untersuchungen mit Daten des SHARE

Dieser Band präsentiert drei ausgewählte empirische Studien, die im Rahmen des Bevölkerungswissenschaftlichen Forschungspraktikums an der Universität Bamberg entstanden sind. Der erste Beitrag beschäftigt sich mit „familialen Transferregimes“ in Europa, dem privaten Äquivalent zu öffentlichen Wohlfahrtsstaatsregimes. Im Mittelpunkt der Analyse steht die Frage, ob und wie sich osteuropäische Länder von nord-, west- und südeuropäischen Regimetypen unterscheiden. Der zweite Beitrag untersucht, ob sich ältere Menschen nach dem Renteneintritt gleichbleibend, vermehrt oder seltener ehrenamtlich engagieren. Der dritte Beitrag konzentriert sich ebenfalls auf die Effekte des Renteneintritts. Diese Arbeit geht der Frage nach, ob die Verrentung für ältere Menschen ein stressauslösendes Ereignis ist, das den gesundheitlichen Abbau beschleunigt. Die Autorinnen und Autoren untersuchen diese aktuellen sozialwissenschaftlichen Fragestellungen mit Daten der ersten beiden Wellen des Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE)

Early life stress and behavior problems in early childhood: Investigating the contributions of child temperament and executive functions to resilience

Funder: NWO: Nederlandse organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003246Funder: ZonMw; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001826Funder: Ministry of Youth and FamiliesFunder: Fulbright U.S. Student ProgramFunder: Erasmus Medisch Centrum; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003061Funder: Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001828Funder: Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100002999Abstract: This preregistered study examined whether child temperament and executive functions moderated the longitudinal association between early life stress (ELS) and behavior problems. In a Dutch population‐based cohort (n = 2803), parents reported on multiple stressors (age 0–6 years), child temperament (age 5), and executive functions (age 4), and teachers rated child internalizing and externalizing problems (age 7). Results showed that greater ELS was related to higher levels of internalizing and externalizing problems, with betas reflecting small effects. Lower surgency buffered the positive association of ELS with externalizing problems, while better shifting capacities weakened the positive association between ELS and internalizing problems. Other child characteristics did not act as moderators. Findings underscore the importance of examining multiple protective factors simultaneously

Aortic microcalcification is associated with elastin fragmentation in Marfan syndrome

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a connective tissue disorder in which aortic rupture is the major cause of death. MFS patients with an aortic diameter below the advised limit for prophylactic surgery (<5 cm) may unexpectedly experience an aortic dissection or rupture, despite yearly monitoring. Hence, there is a clear need for improved prognostic markers to predict such aortic events. We hypothesize that elastin fragments play a causal role in aortic calcification in MFS, and that microcalcification serves as a marker for aortic disease severity. To address this hypothesis, we analysed MFS patient and mouse aortas. MFS patient aortic tissue showed enhanced microcalcification in areas with extensive elastic lamina fragmentation in the media. A causal relationship between medial injury and microcalcification was revealed by studies in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs); elastin peptides were shown to increase the activity of the calcification marker alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and reduce the expression of the calcification inhibitor matrix GLA protein in human SMCs. In murine Fbn1C1039G/+ MFS aortic SMCs, Alpl mRNA and activity were upregulated as compared with wild-type SMCs. The elastin peptide-induced ALP activity was prevented by incubation with lactose or a neuraminidase inhibitor, which inhibit the elastin receptor complex, and a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-1/2 inhibitor, indicating downstream involvement of extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation. Histological analyses in MFS mice revealed macrocalcification in the aortic root, whereas the ascending aorta contained microcalcification, as identified with the near-infrared fluorescent bisphosphonate probe OsteoSense-800. Significantly, microcalcification correlated strongly with aortic diameter, distensibility, elastin breaks, and phosphorylated ERK1/2. In conclusion, microcalcification co-localizes with aortic elastin degradation in MFS aortas of humans and mice, where elastin-derived peptides induce a calcification process in SMCs via the elastin receptor complex and ERK1/2 activation. We propose microcalcification as a novel imaging marker to monitor local elastin degradation a

Obese father's metabolic state, adiposity, and reproductive capacity indicate son's reproductive health

ObjectiveTo determine whether dietary and exercise regimes in obese males can provide a novel intervention window for improving the reproductive health of the next generation.DesignExperimental animal study.SettingUniversity research facilities.Animal(s)C57BL6 male and female mice.Intervention(s)Mice were fed a control diet (6% fat) or high-fat diet (21% fat) for 9 weeks. After the initial feeding, high-fat-diet males were allocated to diet and/or exercise interventions for a further 9 weeks. After intervention males were mated with females fed standard chow (4% fat) before and during pregnancy.Main outcome measure(s)F1 sperm motility, count, morphology, capacitation, mitochondrial function, and sperm binding and weight of reproductive organs.Result(s)Our primary finding was that diet intervention alone in founders improved offspring sperm motility and mitochondrial markers of sperm health (decreased reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial membrane potential), ultimately improving sperm binding. Sperm binding and capacitation was also improved in F1 males born to a combined diet and exercise intervention in founders. Founder sperm parameters and metabolic measures as a response to diet and/or exercise (i.e., lipid/glucose homeostasis, sperm count and morphology) correlated with offspring's sperm function, independent of founder treatment. This implicates paternal metabolic and reproductive status in predicting male offspring's reproductive function.Conclusion(s)This is the first study to show that improvements to both metabolic (lipids, glucose and insulin sensitivity) and reproductive function (sperm motility and morphology) in obese fathers via diet and exercise interventions can improve subsequent reproductive health in offspring.Nicole O. McPherson, Tod Fullston, Hassan W. Bakos, Brian P. Setchell and Michelle Lan

Cost-effectiveness of an intensive group training protocol compared to physiotherapy guideline care for sub-acute and chronic low back pain: design of a randomised controlled trial with an economic evaluation. [ISRCTN45641649]

BACKGROUND: Low back pain is a common disorder in western industrialised countries and the type of treatments for low back pain vary considerably. METHODS: In a randomised controlled trial the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of an intensive group training protocol versus physiotherapy guideline care for sub-acute and chronic low back pain patients is evaluated. Patients with back pain for longer than 6 weeks who are referred to physiotherapy care by their general practitioner or medical specialist are included in the study. The intensive group training protocol combines exercise therapy with principles of behavioural therapy ("graded activity") and back school. This training protocol is compared to physiotherapy care according to the recently published Low Back Pain Guidelines of the Royal Dutch College for Physiotherapy. Primary outcome measures are general improvement, pain intensity, functional status, work absenteeism and quality of life. The direct and indirect costs will be assessed using cost diaries. Patients will complete questionnaires at baseline and 6, 13, 26 and 52 weeks after randomisation. DISCUSSION: No trials are yet available that have evaluated the effect of an intensive group training protocol including behavioural principles and back school in a primary physiotherapy care setting and no data on cost-effectiveness and cost-utility are available

Globally invariant metabolism but density-diversity mismatch in springtails.

Soil life supports the functioning and biodiversity of terrestrial ecosystems. Springtails (Collembola) are among the most abundant soil arthropods regulating soil fertility and flow of energy through above- and belowground food webs. However, the global distribution of springtail diversity and density, and how these relate to energy fluxes remains unknown. Here, using a global dataset representing 2470 sites, we estimate the total soil springtail biomass at 27.5 megatons carbon, which is threefold higher than wild terrestrial vertebrates, and record peak densities up to 2 million individuals per square meter in the tundra. Despite a 20-fold biomass difference between the tundra and the tropics, springtail energy use (community metabolism) remains similar across the latitudinal gradient, owing to the changes in temperature with latitude. Neither springtail density nor community metabolism is predicted by local species richness, which is high in the tropics, but comparably high in some temperate forests and even tundra. Changes in springtail activity may emerge from latitudinal gradients in temperature, predation and resource limitation in soil communities. Contrasting relationships of biomass, diversity and activity of springtail communities with temperature suggest that climate warming will alter fundamental soil biodiversity metrics in different directions, potentially restructuring terrestrial food webs and affecting soil functioning

Global fine-resolution data on springtail abundance and community structure

Springtails (Collembola) inhabit soils from the Arctic to the Antarctic and comprise an estimated ~32% of all terrestrial arthropods on Earth. Here, we present a global, spatially-explicit database on springtail communities that includes 249,912 occurrences from 44,999 samples and 2,990 sites. These data are mainly raw sample-level records at the species level collected predominantly from private archives of the authors that were quality-controlled and taxonomically-standardised. Despite covering all continents, most of the sample-level data come from the European continent (82.5% of all samples) and represent four habitats: woodlands (57.4%), grasslands (14.0%), agrosystems (13.7%) and scrublands (9.0%). We included sampling by soil layers, and across seasons and years, representing temporal and spatial within-site variation in springtail communities. We also provided data use and sharing guidelines and R code to facilitate the use of the database by other researchers. This data paper describes a static version of the database at the publication date, but the database will be further expanded to include underrepresented regions and linked with trait data.</p

Global fine-resolution data on springtail abundance and community structure

CODE AVAILABILITY : Programming R code is openly available together with the database from Figshare.SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL 1 : Template for data collectionSUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL 2 : Data Descriptor WorksheetSpringtails (Collembola) inhabit soils from the Arctic to the Antarctic and comprise an estimated ~32% of all terrestrial arthropods on Earth. Here, we present a global, spatially-explicit database on springtail communities that includes 249,912 occurrences from 44,999 samples and 2,990 sites. These data are mainly raw sample-level records at the species level collected predominantly from private archives of the authors that were quality-controlled and taxonomically-standardised. Despite covering all continents, most of the sample-level data come from the European continent (82.5% of all samples) and represent four habitats: woodlands (57.4%), grasslands (14.0%), agrosystems (13.7%) and scrublands (9.0%). We included sampling by soil layers, and across seasons and years, representing temporal and spatial within-site variation in springtail communities. We also provided data use and sharing guidelines and R code to facilitate the use of the database by other researchers. This data paper describes a static version of the database at the publication date, but the database will be further expanded to include underrepresented regions and linked with trait data.Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.http://www.nature.com/sdatahj2024Plant Production and Soil ScienceSDG-15:Life on lan