Exploring gender differences within forest schools as a physical activity intervention

This study investigated whether children engaged in more physical activity (PA) on school days that included Forest School (FS) sessions than a regular school day or a school day with a Physical Education (PE) lesson. How FS sessions influenced children’s general levels of PA and wellbeing was also explored across gender. A mixed-methods study followed a sample of 59 child participants aged 7 to 9 years old, from four primary schools, whilst taking part in twelve weekly FS sessions. Measures included the PA Questionnaire for Older Children and accelerometry data together with an individual Write and Draw task to inform focus groups. Children had significantly greater levels of light PA on a FS day and a PE school day compared to a regular school day and children reported feeling both happier and relaxed as a consequence of the intervention. From the qualitative data, boys and girls reported different likes of the FS interventions, whereas their dislikes of FS were comparable. Findings from this research provide evidence for such outdoor, nature-based learning within the school curriculum contributing to daily PA in children

Impact of Environmental Parameters on Marathon Running Performance

PURPOSE: The objectives of this study were to describe the distribution of all runners' performances in the largest marathons worldwide and to determine which environmental parameters have the maximal impact. METHODS: We analysed the results of six European (Paris, London, Berlin) and American (Boston, Chicago, New York) marathon races from 2001 to 2010 through 1,791,972 participants' performances (all finishers per year and race). Four environmental factors were gathered for each of the 60 races: temperature (°C), humidity (%), dew point (°C), and the atmospheric pressure at sea level (hPA); as well as the concentrations of four atmospheric pollutants: NO(2)-SO(2)-O(3) and PM(10) (μg x m(-3)). RESULTS: All performances per year and race are normally distributed with distribution parameters (mean and standard deviation) that differ according to environmental factors. Air temperature and performance are significantly correlated through a quadratic model. The optimal temperatures for maximal mean speed of all runners vary depending on the performance level. When temperature increases above these optima, running speed decreases and withdrawal rates increase. Ozone also impacts performance but its effect might be linked to temperature. The other environmental parameters do not have any significant impact. CONCLUSIONS: The large amount of data analyzed and the model developed in this study highlight the major influence of air temperature above all other climatic parameter on human running capacity and adaptation to race conditions

Stage T1c prostate cancer: defining the appropriate staging evaluation and the role for pelvic lymphadenectomy

A good staging system should be able to accurately reflect the natural history of a malignant disease, to express the extent of the disease at the time of diagnosis, and stratify patients in prognostically distinctive groups. The staging system for prostate cancer, as it is today, fails to fulfill these requirements. Approximately one third of the patients who undergo surgery for complete excision of prostate cancer in fact do not have a localize disease. The incidence of tumor at the inked margin may reach 30% for T1 stage and up to 60% for clinical T2b prostate cancer according to comparision with pathologic examination of resected specimen. Several concepts have been recently proposed as a means of improving the accuracy of the available staging system. In this paper, we review current aspects of clinical and pathological staging of prostate cancer, and the importance of these new concepts on the early stages of prostate cancer.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47057/1/345_2005_Article_BF01300182.pd

Roles of HMGA proteins in cancer.

The high mobility group A (HMGA) non-histone chromatin proteins alter chromatin structure and thereby regulate the transcription of several genes by either enhancing or suppressing transcription factors. This protein family is implicated, through different mechanisms, in both benign and malignant neoplasias. Rearrangements of HMGA genes are a feature of most benign human mesenchymal tumours. Conversely, unrearranged HMGA overexpression is a feature of malignant tumours and is also causally related to neoplastic cell transformation. Here, we focus on the role of the HMGA proteins in human neoplastic diseases, the mechanisms by which they contribute to carcinogenesis, and therapeutic strategies based on targeting HMGA proteins