The Comparison of a Technology-based System and In-person Behavioral Weight Loss Intervention in the Severely Obese

A technology-based system incorporating a physical activity monitor and a web interface to monitor dietary intake and body weight combined with monthly telephone contact has been shown to be an effective intervention for weight loss. Whether this type of intervention is effective for individuals with Class II (BMI = 35.0 to 40 kg/m2) obesity has not been examined. Continuous enhancements in technology require ongoing evaluation of the effectiveness of these interventions. PURPOSE: To examine weight loss in response to standard behavioral weight loss (SBWL), technology (TECH), and an enhanced technology (TECH-BT) interventions in adults with Class II or III obesity. METHODS: Subjects were 39 adults (age: 39.0±9.7, BMI: 39.5±2.8kg/m2) randomized to SBWL (n=14), TECH (n=12), or TECH-BT (n=13). The prescription for all subjects included decreases in energy intake (1500-2100kcal/d), and increases in physical activity (200min/wk). SBWL attended weekly in-person group intervention sessions. TECH was provided with a wearable activity monitor that interfaced with a web-based program to monitor dietary intake and body weight (BodyMedia FIT®), also with one 10-minute intervention telephone call per month. TECH-BT received the same component as TECH, with the technology enhanced with Bluetooth® capability to allow for real-time monitoring of energy balance (intake and expenditure)(BodyMedia LINK®). RESULTS: Body weight was significantly reduced (p<.001) from 110.9±9.1 to 107.7±8.8kg in SBWL (-3.2±3.1kg; -2.9±2.9%), 112.2±10.5 to 107.2±10.5kg in TECH (-5.0±3.7kg; 4.9±3.8%), and 108.8±15.0 to 104.0±16.2kg in TECH-BT (-3.3±4.2kg; 3.5±4.8%) from 0 to 3 months. However, weight loss was not significantly different between the intervention groups. While significant improvements (p<.05) were found in waist and hip circumferences, percent body fat, physical activity, and dietary intake, there were no group significant group differences. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that significant short-term weight loss can be achieved in individuals with Class II or III obesity with less in-person contact using a technology-based system combined with monthly telephone contact. These findings may have significant clinical implications for effective delivery of weight loss interventions for severely obese adults. Whether these findings extend beyond the initial 3 months of intervention and the long-term acceptability of a technology-based intervention warrants further investigation

Energy Expenditure and Enjoyment of Active Television Viewing

International Journal of Exercise Science 9(1): 64-76, 2016. This study examined energy expenditure and enjoyment during sedentary television viewing (SED-TV), stepping in place during television commercials (COMM-TV), and physical activity prompted by common character phrases/mannerisms within a television program (PA-TV). Adults (N=38, age: 27.0±8.0 years, BMI: 25.4±4.2 kg/m2) completed three 30-minute sessions in random order: SED-TV, COMM-TV, and PA-TV. Energy expenditure and heart rate were assessed during each session. Enjoyment was assessed after the initial experimental session and at completion of the study. Energy expenditure was greater in the active versus sedentary sessions (COMM-TV vs SED-TV: difference = 32.7±1.9 kcal, p3.0 METS was lower in SED-TV (median = 0 minutes) compared to COMM-TV [median = 4.0 minutes (Inter-Quartile Range: 0.8, 7.3)] (p50% of age-predicted maximal heart rate. Both COMM-TV and PA-TV were reported to be significantly more enjoyable than SED-TV. COMM-TV and PA-TV resulted in higher energy expenditure, more minutes of moderate intensity physical activity, and higher reported enjoyment compared to SED-TV. These findings have implications for reducing sedentary time during television viewing, which may impact health-related outcomes. Intervention trials are warranted to determine the effectiveness of these strategies

Transcript Profiling of Elf5+/− Mammary Glands during Pregnancy Identifies Novel Targets of Elf5

Background: Elf5, an epithelial specific Ets transcription factor, plays a crucial role in the pregnancy-associated development of the mouse mammary gland. Elf5 2/2 embryos do not survive, however the Elf5 +/2 mammary gland displays a severe pregnancy-associated developmental defect. While it is known that Elf5 is crucial for correct mammary development and lactation, the molecular mechanisms employed by Elf5 to exert its effects on the mammary gland are largely unknown. Principal Findings: Transcript profiling was used to investigate the transcriptional changes that occur as a result of Elf5 haploinsufficiency in the Elf5 +/2 mouse model. We show that the development of the mouse Elf5 +/2 mammary gland is delayed at a transcriptional and morphological level, due to the delayed increase in Elf5 protein in these glands. We also identify a number of potential Elf5 target genes, including Mucin 4, whose expression, is directly regulated by the binding of Elf5 to an Ets binding site within its promoter. Conclusion: We identify novel transcriptional targets of Elf5 and show that Muc4 is a direct target of Elf5, further elucidatin

Studying Trail Enhancement Plans - Health Impact Assessment

This report reflects work on the Studying Trail Enhancement Plans - Health Impact Assessment (STEP-HIA) for the proposed new Cuba Continental Divide National Scenic Trail segment as of April 30, 2015. It is provided to the Santa Fe National Forest and Bureau of Land Management New Mexico for use in preparing an Environmental Impact Assessment and subsequent planning for the proposed project. It was prepared by the University of New Mexico Prevention Research Center and Step Into Cuba Alliance, a partnership of individuals and organizations dedicated to the promotion of walking and hiking for better health in Cuba, NM. In this report, we present information by way of a sequential series of questions that support and lead to predictions and recommendations for the new trail segment

Perception of isolated chords: Examining frequency of occurrence, instrumental timbre, acoustic descriptors and musical training

This study investigated the perception of isolated chords using a combination of experimental manipulation and exploratory analysis. Twelve types of chord (five triads and seven tetrads) were presented in two instrumental timbres (piano and organ) to listeners who rated the chords for consonance, pleasantness, stability and relaxation. Listener ratings varied by chord, by timbre, and according to musical expertise, and revealed that musicians distinguished consonance from the other variables in a way that other listeners did not. To further explain the data, a principal component analysis and linear regression examined three potential predictors of the listener ratings. First, each chord’s frequency of occurrence was obtained by counting its appearances in selected works of music. Second, listeners rated their familiarity with the instrumental timbre in which the chord was played. Third, chords were described using a set of acoustic features derived using the Timbre Toolbox and MIR Toolbox. Results of the study indicated that listeners’ ratings of both consonance and stability were influenced by the degree of musical training and knowledge of tonal hierarchy. Listeners’ ratings of pleasantness and relaxation, on the other hand, depended more on the instrumental timbre and other acoustic descriptions of the chord

Activity of Bdellovibrio Hit Locus Proteins, Bd0108 and Bd0109, Links Type IVa Pilus Extrusion/Retraction Status to Prey-Independent Growth Signalling

Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus are facultatively predatory bacteria that grow within gram-negative prey, using pili to invade their periplasmic niche. They also grow prey-independently on organic nutrients after undergoing a reversible switch. The nature of the growth switching mechanism has been elusive, but several independent reports suggested mutations in the hit (host-interaction) locus on the Bdellovibrio genome were associated with the transition to preyindependent growth. Pili are essential for prey entry by Bdellovibrio and sequence analysis of the hit locus predicted that it was part of a cluster of Type IVb pilus-associated genes, containing bd0108 and bd0109. In this study we have deleted the whole bd0108 gene, which is unique to Bdellovibrio, and compared its phenotype to strains containing spontaneous mutations in bd0108 and the common natural 42 bp deletion variant of bd0108. We find that deletion of the whole bd0108 gene greatly reduced the extrusion of pili, whereas the 42 bp deletion caused greater pilus extrusion than wild-type. The pili isolated from these strains were comprised of the Type IVa pilin protein; PilA. Attempts to similarly delete gene bd0109, which like bd0108 encodes a periplasmic/secreted protein, were not successful, suggesting that it is likely to be essential for Bdellovibrio viability in any growth mode. Bd0109 has a sugar binding YD- repeat motif and an N-terminus with a putative pilin-like fold and was found to interact directly with Bd0108. These results lead us to propose that the Bd0109/Bd0108 interaction regulates pilus production in Bdellovibrio (possibly by interaction with the pilus fibre at the cell wall), and that the presence (and possibly retraction state) of the pilus feeds back to alter the growth state of the Bdellovibrio cell. We further identify a novel small RNA encoded by the hit locus, the transcription of which is altered in different bd0108 mutation background