Morphological comparison of two populations of Peromyscus maniculatus gambelii from the timberline of Mt. Shasta, California

The purpose of this study is to compare two populations of Peromyscus maniculatus gambelii from the same location, separated by about 80 years in an attempt to determine the degree of dissimilarity between them

Training Frequency and Anxiety: Do CPR Manikins Lend to Delivering High-Quality CPR?

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) manikins are an educational technology tool employed to train nurses to perform high-quality CPR during real-life cardiac arrest events. However, a gap exists between CPR skills learned in training and those used in real life. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine how CPR feedback and anxiety in registered nurses affect CPR performance on a manikin. Distributed practice and attentional control theory served as the foundations for this study. The research questions addressed the influence of demographic factors, real-time CPR feedback, and simulated hospital noises on CPR performance using CPR manikins. The study included a randomized longitudinal experimental design. Data were collected from 120 nurses via a demographic questionnaire, the Cognitive and Somatic Anxiety Questionnaire, and CPR compression performance feedback via a Zoll R Series defibrillator. Data analysis involved a repeated measures ANOVA or a regression analysis. Findings indicated that participants’ age predicted CPR performance. Receiving real-time CPR feedback led to a statistically significant improvement in performance, and the introduction of hospital noises did not predict CPR performance. Findings may be used to enhance individual performance of CPR, which may benefit society through improved patient care during cardiac arrest

Changing from primary to secondary school highlights opportunities for school environment interventions aiming to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour: a longitudinal cohort study.

BACKGROUND: There is little empirical evidence of the impact of transition from primary to secondary school on obesity-related risk behaviour. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a change of school system on physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour in pre-early adolescents. METHODS: Fifteen schools in Victoria, Australia were recruited at random from the bottom two strata of a five level socio-economic scale. In nine schools, students in year 6 primary school transitioned to a different school for year 7 secondary school, while in six schools (combined primary-secondary), students remained in the same school environment from year 6 to year 7. Time 1 (T1) measures were collected from students (N=245) in year 6 (age 11-13). Time 2 (T2) data were collected from 243 (99%) of the original student cohort when in year 7. PA and sedentary behaviour data were collected objectively (via ActiGraph accelerometer) and subjectively (via child self-report recall questionnaire). School environment data were collected via school staff survey. Change of behaviour analyses were conducted longitudinally i) for all students and ii) by change/no change of school. Mixed model regression analysis tested for behavioural interaction effects of changing/not changing school. RESULTS: Sixty-three percent (N=152) changed schools from T1 to T2. Across all students we observed declines in average daily moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (-4 min) and light PA (-23 min), and increases in average daily sedentary behaviour (16 min), weekday leisure screen time (17 min) and weekday homework screen time (25 min), all P<0.05. Compared to students who remained in the same school environment, students who changed school reported a greater reduction in PA intensity at recess and lunch, less likelihood to cycle to/from school, greater increase in weekday (41 mins) and weekend (45 mins) leisure screen time (P<0.05) and greater encouragement to participate in sport. School staff surveys identified that sport participation encouragement was greater in primary and combined primary-secondary than secondary schools (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Transitioning from primary to secondary school negatively impacts on children\u27s PA and sedentary behaviour, and has further compounding effects on behaviour type by changing school environments

Cultural Migrations between Spain and Russia: Transnational Perspectives

This concluding essay interprets the other articles in the current issue of the journal by first providing an overview and comparison of older and more recent historiographical assessments of Spain and Russia. The article then briefly surveys the many parallels that existed between the two countries, which eased the transmission of ideas from one to the other. It identifies the main themes of these cultural exchanges as a utopian fascination with Russia on the part of Spaniards, and ideas about governance or rebellion that went in both directions depending on the time period. The article suggests that awareness of these cross-cultural ties is crucial for a deeper and more balanced understanding of the histories of Russia, Spain, and Europe as a whole

Aerospace Curriculum and Instruction Utilization after the Completion of an Aerospace Education Workshop in Which Nasa Participated

The concern of this study has been to investigate the utilization of aerospace curriculum and instruction by educators at the completion of an aerospace education worksho

Mitochondrial calcium overload is a key determinant in heart failure

Calcium (Ca2+) released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) is crucial for excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling. Mitochondria, the major source of energy, in the form of ATP, required for cardiac contractility, are closely interconnected with the SR, and Ca2+ is essential for optimal function of these organelles. However, Ca2+ accumulation can impair mitochondrial function, leading to reduced ATP production and increased release of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Oxidative stress contributes to heart failure (HF), but whether mitochondrial Ca2+ plays a mechanistic role in HF remains unresolved. Here, we show for the first time, to our knowledge, that diastolic SR Ca2+ leak causes mitochondrial Ca2+ overload and dysfunction in a murine model of postmyocardial infarction HF. There are two forms of Ca2+ release channels on cardiac SR: type 2 ryanodine receptors (RyR2s) and type 2 inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3R2s). Using murine models harboring RyR2 mutations that either cause or inhibit SR Ca2+ leak, we found that leaky RyR2 channels result in mitochondrial Ca2+ overload, dysmorphology, and malfunction. In contrast, cardiac-specific deletion of IP3R2 had no major effect on mitochondrial fitness in HF. Moreover, genetic enhancement of mitochondrial antioxidant activity improved mitochondrial function and reduced posttranslational modifications of RyR2 macromolecular complex. Our data demonstrate that leaky RyR2, but not IP3R2, channels cause mitochondrial Ca2+ overload and dysfunction in HF