Design of a randomized controlled trial of physical training and cancer (Phys-Can) – the impact of exercise intensity on cancer related fatigue, quality of life and disease outcome

Background: Cancer-related fatigue is a common problem in persons with cancer, influencing health-related quality of life and causing a considerable challenge to society. Current evidence supports the beneficial effects of physical exercise in reducing fatigue, but the results across studies are not consistent, especially in terms of exercise intensity. It is also unclear whether use of behaviour change techniques can further increase exercise adherence and maintain physical activity behaviour. This study will investigate whether exercise intensity affects fatigue and health related quality of life in persons undergoing adjuvant cancer treatment. In addition, to examine effects of exercise intensity on mood disturbance, adherence to oncological treatment, adverse effects from treatment, activities of daily living after treatment completion and return to work, and behaviour change techniques effect on exercise adherence. We will also investigate whether exercise intensity influences inflammatory markers and cytokines, and whether gene expressions following training serve as mediators for the effects of exercise on fatigue and health related quality of life. Methods/design: Six hundred newly diagnosed persons with breast, colorectal or prostate cancer undergoing adjuvant therapy will be randomized in a 2 × 2 factorial design to following conditions; A) individually tailored low-to-moderate intensity exercise with or without behaviour change techniques or B) individually tailored high intensity exercise with or without behaviour change techniques. The training consists of both resistance and endurance exercise sessions under the guidance of trained coaches. The primary outcomes, fatigue and health related quality of life, are measured by self-reports. Secondary outcomes include fitness, mood disturbance, adherence to the cancer treatment, adverse effects, return to activities of daily living after completed treatment, return to work as well as inflammatory markers, cytokines and gene expression. Discussion: The study will contribute to our understanding of the value of exercise and exercise intensity in reducing fatigue and improving health related quality of life and, potentially, clinical outcomes. The value of behaviour change techniques in terms of adherence to and maintenance of physical exercise behaviour in persons with cancer will be evaluated

structure of the collembolan community (hexapoda : collembola) in bark mosses along an altitudinal gradient of a subhumid forest in mexico

The structure of the community of moss springtails on oak and fir bark in the forests at the NW slope of Iztaccihuatl Volcano, State of Mexico, is analyzed. The study included four samplings (November 2003, March-June-August 2004), carried out in three altitudes 1: 2 750 m, 11: 2 930 and 3 250 m a.s.l. Calculated indexes were: species richness (S), Shannon's diversity index (W), Pielou's evenness index (J') and Simpson dominance (lambda). An ANOVA of two way test was used to evaluate the effect of attitude and sampling date on the total density of the springtails. The total number of species was 24 (altitude I=17, altitude II=14, altitude III=13). The greatest density was at altitude III and the highest species richness at altitude 1, Americabrya arida and Willowsia mexicana were dominant. There is a positive significant effect of altitude on their density. The highest Sorensen similarity between communities was 59 % ( altitudes II and III)

vertical distribution of springtails from epiphytic moss from abies religiosa forest in state of mexico, mexico

We evaluated the Collembola communities at 3 different heights on epiphytic moss. The study was carried out in an Abies religiosa forest, in the locality of San Rafael in the State of Mexico, Mexico. Collembola inhabiting epiphytic moss were sampled during November 2003, and during March, June and August 2004. The Shannon's diversity index, species richness, as well as their density and diversity were estimated in 3 communities. The total number of Collembola species that was collected was 12, with the species richness and density decreasing as the height of tree increased. The height on trees where moss was sampled had a significant negative effect on species diversity as well as on the densities of Pseudachorutes subcrassus, Entomobrya ca. triangularis, Americabrya arida and Ptenothrix marmorata. Our results suggest that vertical stratification of Collembola is affected by, differentiation of the microhabitats at different height levels of trees and by morphological and ecological features of species. This also demonstrates the capacity of Collembola for migration to other tree heights in order to search for food and to avoid predation