Contribution of cyanobacterial alkane production to the ocean hydrocarbon cycle.

Hydrocarbons are ubiquitous in the ocean, where alkanes such as pentadecane and heptadecane can be found even in waters minimally polluted with crude oil. Populations of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, which are responsible for the turnover of these compounds, are also found throughout marine systems, including in unpolluted waters. These observations suggest the existence of an unknown and widespread source of hydrocarbons in the oceans. Here, we report that strains of the two most abundant marine cyanobacteria, Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus, produce and accumulate hydrocarbons, predominantly C15 and C17 alkanes, between 0.022 and 0.368% of dry cell weight. Based on global population sizes and turnover rates, we estimate that these species have the capacity to produce 2-540 pg alkanes per mL per day, which translates into a global ocean yield of ∼ 308-771 million tons of hydrocarbons annually. We also demonstrate that both obligate and facultative marine hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria can consume cyanobacterial alkanes, which likely prevents these hydrocarbons from accumulating in the environment. Our findings implicate cyanobacteria and hydrocarbon degraders as key players in a notable internal hydrocarbon cycle within the upper ocean, where alkanes are continually produced and subsequently consumed within days. Furthermore we show that cyanobacterial alkane production is likely sufficient to sustain populations of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, whose abundances can rapidly expand upon localized release of crude oil from natural seepage and human activities

The effects of patient-professional partnerships on the self-management and health outcomes for patients with chronic back pain: a quasi-experimental study

Background: Self-management may be a lifelong task for patients with chronic back pain. Research suggests that chronic pain self-management programmes have beneficial effects on patients’ health outcome. Contemporary pain management theories and models also suggest that a good patient-professional partnership enhances patients’ ability to self-manage their condition. Objectives: 1) To investigate whether there is a reciprocal relationship between self-management of chronic back pain and health-related quality of life (HRQoL); 2) to examine the impact of a good patient-professional partnership on HRQoL, either directly, or indirectly via change in the ability to self-manage pain. Design and setting: This quasi-experimental study was designed to take place during routine service appointments and conducted in a community-based pain management service in the United Kingdom. A patient-professional partnership was established in which patients were actively involved in setting up goals and developing individualised care plans. Through this, health professionals undertook patients’ health needs assessment, collaborated with patients to identify specific problems, provided written materials and delivered individualised exercise based on patients’ life situation. Patients were recruited following initial consultation and followed up three months later. Participants: A total of 147 patients (65% female) with a mean age of 48 years (SD: 14 years) were enrolled in the study. Of these, 103 subjects completed the study. Patients were included if they were aged 18 and over, suffered from chronic back pain, had opted in to the clinic and had sufficient ability to read and understand English. Patients were excluded if they opted out this service after the initial assessment, suffered from malignant pain or required acute medical interventions for their pain relief. Methods: Self-reported measures of HRQoL, patient-professional partnerships and self- management ability were collected at baseline and three months later. Pathways proposed were depicted using structural equation modelling. Results: There was no association between patients’ self-management ability and HRQoL at baseline. However, a positive direct effect was detected at three months (-0.38, p<0.01). A patient-professional partnership was not found to be beneficial for patients’ HRQoL through a direct pathway, but via an indirect pathway where self-management was a mediator (- 19.09, p<0.01). Conclusions: This study suggests that the increase in patients’ self-management ability may lead to improvement in HRQoL after pain management support provided in a partnership with health professionals. A good patient-professional partnership appears to be beneficial as an augmentation to self-management practice for patients with chronic back pain

A Survey-Based Study on Physical Activity Promotion for Individuals with a Current or Past Diagnosis of Cancer in Canada

Purpose: To determine the prevalence and content of discussions regarding physical activity (PA) promotion between individuals with a current or past diagnosis of cancer and their oncology care team. Methods: Design and Procedure: A cross-sectional survey on PA discussion between individuals with a current or past diagnosis of cancer and their oncology care team was conducted at a single timepoint. Participants: Eligible participants were adults with a current or past diagnosis of cancer at any time point in their cancer treatment who had a pre-scheduled appointment with their oncology care team. Results: A total of 100 participants completed the survey. PA-related discussions happened in 41% of the patient-provider interactions and 66% of respondents reported PA discussions at some point during care. No significant association occurred between cancer type, stage, or treatment status and PA discussions at any timepoint (all p&rsquo;s &gt; 0.05). Most respondents were satisfied with the education provided on PA (54%); however, only 37% were sufficiently active. Those receiving education from their medical oncologist were more likely to be &lsquo;sufficiently active&rsquo; (p = 0.020) according to the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire. Conclusions: Most respondents discuss PA with an oncology care provider at some point during their cancer treatment; however, few are sufficiently active. Future research is needed to determine strategies to facilitate PA promotion and close the gap between discussions and actual physical activity behavior

Characterizing the Exercise Behaviour, Preferences, Barriers, and Facilitators of Cancer Survivors in a Rural Canadian Community: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Barriers, facilitators, and motivators to exercise for cancer survivors living in urban settings are well described in the literature. However, there is a lack of comparable information for cancer survivors living in rural communities. We describe the exercise behaviours, barriers, facilitators, and motivators to exercise participation of cancer survivors living in a rural Canadian community. Adult cancer survivors with a primary address in a rural region of Ontario, Canada, who had visited a community hospital in the previous five years were mailed a cross-sectional survey assessing current exercise volume (minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic and resistance exercise), as well as exercise preferences, barriers, and facilitators. Seventy-two survivors (mean age 65 years) completed the survey (16% response rate). A majority of respondents were diagnosed with breast cancer (49%) in the last 5 years (61%). Aerobic- and resistance-training guidelines for cancer survivors were met by 38% and 10% of respondents, respectively. Physical side effects were the most common barrier to exercise during treatment (65%) and post-treatment (35%). Being unaware of available exercise programs, time for exercise, distance to exercise services, and cost were commonly reported barriers during and post-treatment (reported by 10–22%). Respondents reported needing information from a qualified exercise professional (46%), access to a gym (33%) and exercise equipment (26%), and social support (25%) to facilitate exercise participation. Consistent with urban-based cancer survivors, most rural survivors surveyed in this study were not meeting the physical-activity guidelines and reported numerous exercise barriers. These findings can serve as a resource for this and similar rural communities when developing community-based exercise-support services for cancer survivors

A Survey-Based Study on Physical Activity Promotion for Individuals with a Current or Past Diagnosis of Cancer in Canada

Purpose: To determine the prevalence and content of discussions regarding physical activity (PA) promotion between individuals with a current or past diagnosis of cancer and their oncology care team. Methods: Design and Procedure: A cross-sectional survey on PA discussion between individuals with a current or past diagnosis of cancer and their oncology care team was conducted at a single timepoint. Participants: Eligible participants were adults with a current or past diagnosis of cancer at any time point in their cancer treatment who had a pre-scheduled appointment with their oncology care team. Results: A total of 100 participants completed the survey. PA-related discussions happened in 41% of the patient-provider interactions and 66% of respondents reported PA discussions at some point during care. No significant association occurred between cancer type, stage, or treatment status and PA discussions at any timepoint (all p’s > 0.05). Most respondents were satisfied with the education provided on PA (54%); however, only 37% were sufficiently active. Those receiving education from their medical oncologist were more likely to be ‘sufficiently active’ (p = 0.020) according to the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire. Conclusions: Most respondents discuss PA with an oncology care provider at some point during their cancer treatment; however, few are sufficiently active. Future research is needed to determine strategies to facilitate PA promotion and close the gap between discussions and actual physical activity behavior

Characterizing the Exercise Behaviour, Preferences, Barriers, and Facilitators of Cancer Survivors in a Rural Canadian Community: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Barriers, facilitators, and motivators to exercise for cancer survivors living in urban settings are well described in the literature. However, there is a lack of comparable information for cancer survivors living in rural communities. We describe the exercise behaviours, barriers, facilitators, and motivators to exercise participation of cancer survivors living in a rural Canadian community. Adult cancer survivors with a primary address in a rural region of Ontario, Canada, who had visited a community hospital in the previous five years were mailed a cross-sectional survey assessing current exercise volume (minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic and resistance exercise), as well as exercise preferences, barriers, and facilitators. Seventy-two survivors (mean age 65 years) completed the survey (16% response rate). A majority of respondents were diagnosed with breast cancer (49%) in the last 5 years (61%). Aerobic- and resistance-training guidelines for cancer survivors were met by 38% and 10% of respondents, respectively. Physical side effects were the most common barrier to exercise during treatment (65%) and post-treatment (35%). Being unaware of available exercise programs, time for exercise, distance to exercise services, and cost were commonly reported barriers during and post-treatment (reported by 10–22%). Respondents reported needing information from a qualified exercise professional (46%), access to a gym (33%) and exercise equipment (26%), and social support (25%) to facilitate exercise participation. Consistent with urban-based cancer survivors, most rural survivors surveyed in this study were not meeting the physical-activity guidelines and reported numerous exercise barriers. These findings can serve as a resource for this and similar rural communities when developing community-based exercise-support services for cancer survivors