Polyomavirus T antigens activate an antiviral state

The large T antigen (TAg) of the polyomavirus Simian virus 40 (SV40) is known to play an important role in several events during the viral life cycle, including DNA replication, transcription, and virion assembly. Recent analysis revealed that primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) expressing exogenous TAg showed increased transcription of interferon stimulated genes (ISGs). Interestingly, this activation was shown to be stimulated in the absence of interferon production. The mechanisms by which TAg upregulates the pathway(s) and the consequences of that upregulation remain unknown. Thus, investigation into this mechanism may allow the elucidation of novel host factors moderating the interferon response. I tested several mutants of TAg to understand what functions are necessary to induce the interferon response. My investigation has revealed that the early region of SV40 can activate an antiviral phenotype in MEFs, as seen by the attenuation of viral growth during productive infection. Furthermore, the amino terminus of TAg is sufficient to stimulate this response, and alternative splice forms from the early region (e.g. small T Antigen) do not seem to be critical to the upregulation of ISGs. Other experiments indicate that the STAT1 transcription factor is necessary for establishment of the antiviral state. I have also shown that two human polyomaviruses, Human Polyomavirus BK (BKV) and human Polyomavirus JC (JCV), follow suit with our observations of SV40 TAg. I hypothesize that the TAg-mediated activation of ISGs contributes to an environment inhibitory for viral growth and that this phenomenon is extended to multiple polyomaviruses. This research offers new insight into the interactions of polyomaviruses with its host. This new knowledge could be used in combating human disease, and therefore serves as a valuable contribution to public health

The athletic coachability scale: construct conceptualization and psychometric analyses

Recent research indicates that coaches consider coachability\u27\u27 to be an important predictor of athletic success (Giacobbi, Whitney, Roper, & Butryn, 1999; Kuchenbecker, 1999). The results of these studies also show that coaches regularly use the term coachability\u27\u27 to describe the personalities of particular athletes. In the sport psychology literature, coachability was first discussed by Ogilivie and Tutko (1969) who asserted that ... coachability is one of the most essential qualities for truly great athletic effort. Those men who are labeled great pros, with rare exceptions, remain highly coachable men (p. 26). Since that time, little research attention has been given to the systematic examination of the coachability\u27\u27 construct in sport. Researchers appear to have little idea of what behaviors are associated with coachability or whether this construct can predict sport performance. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to develop a measure of coachability\u27\u27 and to assess its psychometric properties. Consistent with the recommendations of Strean (1998), scale items were developed from qualitative interviews with coaches (Giacobbi et. al., 1999) and athletes (Giacobbi, Haley, & Whitney, 1998). In study one, a 44-item scale was developed (The Athletic Coachability Scale) which was administered to 170 college athletes representing a variety of sports. The results of principal components factor analysis with a varimax rotation produced a five-component solution accounting for 43% of the response variance. These factors were labeled intensity of effort (11 items), trust/respect for the coach (7 items), openness to learning (4 items), coping with criticism (3 items), and \u27\u27working with teammates (2 items). All sub scale alpha reliability coefficients exceeded the . 70 criterion advocated by Nunnally (1978). In study two, the revised 30-item Athletic Coachability Scale (ACS) and the Task and Ego Orientation Scale for Sport {TEOSQ; Duda and Nicholls, 1992) was administered to 120 athletes. Principal components factor analysis with a varimax rotation produced a six-component solution accounting for 59% of the response variance. These components were labeled intensity of effort (5 items), reactions to coaching feedback ( 4 items), openness to learning (3 items), \u27\u27trust/respect for the coach (4 items), coping with criticism (4 items), and working with teammates ( 4 items). Correlational analyses between the emergent ACS subscale scores and the subscales scores of the TEOSQ (task and ego orientation) revealed significant positive relationships between a task orientation and the intensity of effort (rho=.377), reactions to coaching feedback (rho=.453), trust/respect for the coach (rho=.277), working with teammates (rho=.378), and total ACS score (rho=.458). It was concluded that the initial evidence from the two studies support-a six-component conceptualization of the coachability construct. However, future research should include efforts to address issues of social-desirability, the creation of a coach rating form, and performance assessments

Fondi d'investimento etici: storia, strategie e performance

I fondi d'investimento etici sono strumenti di intermediazione finanziaria che si pongono il duplice obiettivo di massimizzare i rendimenti con il minimo rischio e di soddisfare ideali inerenti a elementi di solidarietà e di responsabilità sociale. La tesi si divide in cinque capitoli. Il primo capitolo ha l'obiettivo di illustrare i principi generali e la storia italiana ed estera della finanza etica. Il secondo capitolo chiarisce al lettore la normativa di riferimento dei fondi tradizionali per poi soffermarsi sulla disciplina dei fondi etici, la quale presenta problematiche dovute alla definizione stessa di etica. Il terzo capitolo illustra le principali strategie che possono utilizzare fondi o imprese per poter investire in modo socialmente responsabile. Il quarto capitolo definisce gli strumenti che vengono utilizzati per misurare e valutare le performance sociali, ambientali e di governance necessari agli operatori per poter prendere le decisioni nella completa consapevolezza. Infine l'ultimo capitolo ha l'obiettivo principale di valutare se le performance dei fondi d'investimento etici subiscono una penalizzazione dal punto di vista del rendimento finanziario rispetto ai fondi d'investimento tradizionali

Wheelchair half-marathon and marathon performance – the ‘Oita International Wheelchair Marathon’ 1983-2011

We compared participation and performance trends of individuals with disabilities competing in the half- and full-marathon in the ‘Oita International Wheelchair Marathon’ from 1981 to 2011. The performance times decreased during the 1980’s until the middle 1990’s and stabilized thereafter for both half-marathoners and marathoners. The mean top five overall finishers times were 0:52±0:07 h:min for half-marathoners and 1:36 ±0:11 h:min for marathoners, respectively. The mean age of the finishers increased significantly (p < 0.01) by 0.51 year per annum for the half-marathoners and by 0.62 year per annum for the marathoners, respectively. There was a significant (p < 0.001) age effect on time performance for both distances. The best time performance was observed for the age comprised between 16 and 54 years for half-marathoners, and between 25 and 49 years for marathoners, respectively

A Pragmatic Research Philosophy for Applied Sport Psychology

A pragmatic research philosophy is introduced that embraces mixed-method approaches to applied research questions. With its origins in the work of Peirce (1984), James (1907), Dewey (1931), and contemporary support from Rorty (1982, 1990,1991), pragmatism emphasizes the practical problems experienced by people, the research questions posited, and the consequences of inquiry. As a way to highlight applications of pragmatism in sport psychology, pragmatism is compared to constructivism and positivism in terms of philosophical underpinnings and methodological applications. The pragmatic researcher is sensitive to the social, historical, and political context from which inquiry begins and considers morality, ethics, and issues of social justice to be important throughout the research process. Pragmatists often use pluralistic methods during multiphase research projects. Exemplar design types are discussed that logically cohere to a pragmatic research philosophy

Exercise imagery and its correlates in older adults

Objectives\ud The purpose of the present study was to test a structural model examining the interrelationships between exercise imagery, self-reported exercise behaviour and well-being in older adults.\ud \ud Design\ud Cross-sectional survey.\ud \ud Method\ud Participants were 499 older Greek adults (50.10% males) aged between 51 and 84 years (M age = 57.31; SD = 5.52) who completed questionnaires measuring exercise imagery use, exercise behaviour, subjective vitality, and physical self-worth. The relationship between these variables was tested with a structural model based on the applied model of imagery use for exercise (Munroe-Chandler & Gammage, 2005).\ud \ud Results\ud Energy imagery positively predicted exercise behaviour and subjective vitality, and appearance and technique imagery positively predicted physical self-worth.\ud \ud Conclusions\ud These results indicate older adults engage in different types of imagery to motivate themselves to exercise and improve their well-being, thus implying that the content of imagery interventions should be specifically tailored to the outcomes older adults wish to realise for interventions to be effective.\ud \u

Recruiting Women to a Mobile Health Smoking Cessation Trial: Low- and No-Cost Strategies

Background: Successful recruitment of participants to mobile health (mHealth) studies presents unique challenges over in-person studies. It is important to identify recruitment strategies that maximize the limited recruitment resources available to researchers. Objective: The objective of this study was to describe a case study of a unique recruitment process used in a recent mHealth software app designed to increase smoking cessation among weight-concerned women smokers. The See Me Smoke-Free app was deployed to the Google Play Store (Alphabet, Inc., Google, LLC), where potential participants could download the app and enroll in the study. Users were invited in-app to participate in the study, with no in-person contact. The recruitment activities relied primarily on earned (free) and social media. Methods: To determine the relationship between recruitment activities and participant enrollment, the researchers explored trends in earned and social media activity in relation to app installations, examined social media messaging in relation to reach or impressions, and described app users’ self-reported referral source. The researchers collected and descriptively analyzed data regarding recruitment activities, social media audience, and app use during the 18-week recruitment period (March 30, 2015-July 31, 2015). Data were collected and aggregated from internal staff activity tracking documents and from Web-based data analytics software such as SumAll, Facebook Insights (Facebook, Inc.), and Google Analytics (Alphabet, Inc., Google, LLC). Results: Media coverage was documented across 75 publications and radio or television broadcasts, 35 of which were local, 39 national, and 1 international. The research team made 30 Facebook posts and 49 tweets, yielding 1821 reaches and 6336 impressions, respectively. From March 30, 2015 to July 31, 2015, 289 unique users downloaded the app, and 151 participants enrolled in the study. Conclusions: Research identifying effective online recruitment methods for mHealth studies remains minimal, and findings are inconsistent. We demonstrated how earned media can be leveraged to recruit women to an mHealth smoking cessation trial at low cost. Using earned media and leveraging social media allowed us to enroll 3 times the number of participants that we anticipated enrolling. The cost of earned media resides in the staff time required to manage it, particularly the regular interaction with social media. We recommend communication and cooperation with university public affairs and social media offices, as well as affiliate programs in journalism and communications, so that earned media can be used as a recruitment strategy for mHealth behavior change interventions. However, press releases are not always picked up by the media and should not be considered as a stand-alone method of recruitment. Careful consideration of an intervention’s broad appeal and how that translates into potential media interest is needed when including earned media as part of a comprehensive recruitment plan for mHealth research

Crisis Behavior in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Self-Organized Criticality Approach

The Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) represents a set of life-long disorders. In particular, subjects with ASD can display momentary behaviors of acute agitation and aggressiveness called crisis behaviors. These events are problematic for the subject and care providers but little is known about their occurrence, namely, possible relations among intensity, frequency, and duration. A group of ASD subjects (n=33) has been observed for 12 months reporting data on each crisis (n=1137 crises). Statistical analysis did not find significant results, while the relation between crisis duration and frequency showed a good fit to a "power law" curve, suggesting the application of Self-Organized Criticality (SOC) model. The SOC is used to describe natural phenomena as earthquakes, bank failures of rivers, mass extinctions, and other systems where a type of "catastrophic events" is necessary to maintain a critical equilibrium. In a sense, subjects at risk of crisis behavior seem to fit the same model as seismic zones at risk of earthquakes. The employment of the same strategies, as those successfully developed for known SOC systems, could lead to important insights for ASD management. Moreover, the SOC model offers possible interpretations of crisis behavior dynamics suggesting that they are unpredictable and, in a sense, necessary

See Me Smoke-Free: Protocol for a Research Study to Develop and Test the Feasibility of an mHealth App for Women to Address Smoking, Diet, and Physical Activity

Background: This paper presents the protocol for an ongoing research study to develop and test the feasibility of a multi-behavioral mHealth app. Approximately 27 million women smoke in the US, and more than 180,000 women die of illnesses linked to smoking annually. Women report greater difficulties quitting smoking. Concerns about weight gain, negative body image, and low self-efficacy may be key factors affecting smoking cessation among women. Recent studies suggest that a multi-behavioral approach, including diet and physical activity, may be more effective at helping women quit. Guided imagery has been successfully used to address body image concerns and self-efficacy in our 3 target behaviors—exercise, diet and smoking cessation. However, it has not been used simultaneously for smoking, diet, and exercise behavior in a single intervention. While imagery is an effective therapeutic tool for behavior change, the mode of delivery has generally been in person, which limits reach. mHealth apps delivered via smart phones offer a unique channel through which to distribute imagery-based interventions. Objective: The objective of our study is to evaluate the feasibility of an mHealth app for women designed to simultaneously address smoking, diet, and physical activity behaviors. The objectives are supported by three specific aims: (1) develop guided imagery content, user interface, and resources to reduce weight concern, and increase body image and self-efficacy for behavior change among women smokers, (2) program a prototype of the app that contains all the necessary elements of text, graphics, multimedia and interactive features, and (3) evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of the app with women smokers. Methods: We created the program content and designed the prototype application for use on the Android platform in collaboration with 9 participants in multiple focus groups and in-depth interviews. We programmed and tested the application’s usability with 6 participants in preparation for an open, pre- and posttest trial. Currently, we are testing the feasibility and acceptability of the application, evaluating the relationship of program use to tobacco cessation, dietary behaviors, and physical activity, and assessing consumer satisfaction with approximately 70 women smokers with Android-based smart phones. Results: The study was started January 1, 2014. The app was launched and feasibility testing began in April 1, 2015. Participants were enrolled from April 1-June 30, 2015. During that time, the app was downloaded over 350 times using no paid advertising. Participants were required to use the app “most days” for 30 days or they would be dropped from the study. We enrolled 151 participants. Of those, 78 were dropped or withdrew from the study, leaving 73 participants. We have completed the 30-day assessment, with a 92% response rate. The 90-day assessment is ongoing. During the final phase of the study, we will be conducting data analyses and disseminating study findings via presentations and publications. Feasibility will be demonstrated by successful participant retention and a high level of app use. We will examine individual metrics (eg, duration of use, number of screens viewed, change in usage patterns over time) and engagement with interactive activities (eg, activity tracking). Conclusions: We will aggregate these data into composite exposure scores that combine number of visits and overall duration to calculate correlations between outcome and measures of program exposure and engagement. Finally, we will compare app use between participants and non-participants using Google Analytics