Enhancing quality of life in people with disordered eating using an online self-help programme

Author name used in this publication: Sau F LeungAuthor name used in this publication: Joyce LC Ma2012-2013 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

Effect of a qigong intervention program on telomerase activity and psychological stress in abused Chinese women: a randomized, wait-list controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Abused women, who suffer from chronic psychological stress, have been shown to have shorter telomeres than never abused women. Telomere shortening is associated with increased risk of cell death, and it is believed that adopting health-promoting behaviors can help to increase the activity of telomerase, an enzyme that counters telomere shortening. Qigong is an ancient Chinese mind-body integration, health-oriented practice designed to enhance the function of qi, an energy that sustains well-being. Therefore, an assessor-blind, randomized, wait-list controlled trial was developed to evaluate the effect of a qigong intervention on telomerase activity (primary objective) and proinflammatory cytokines, perceived stress, perceived coping, and depressive symptoms (secondary objectives) in abused Chinese women. METHODS/DESIGN: A total of 240 Chinese women, aged >/= 18 years, who have been abused by an intimate partner within the past three years will be recruited from a community setting in Hong Kong and randomized to receive either a qigong intervention or wait-list control condition as follows: the qigong intervention will comprise (i) a 2-hour group qigong training session twice a week for 6 weeks, (ii) a 1-hour follow-up group qigong exercise session once a week for 4 months, and (iii) a 30-minute self-practice qigong exercise session once a day for 5.5 months. The wait-list control group will receive qigong training after the intervention group completes the program. Upon completion of the qigong intervention program, it is expected that abused Chinese women in the intervention group will have higher levels of telomerase activity and perceived coping and lower levels of proinflammatory cytokines, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms than will abused Chinese women in the wait-list control group. DISCUSSION: This study will provide information about the effect of qigong exercise on telomerase activity and chronic psychological stress in abused Chinese women. The findings will inform the design of interventions to relieve the effects of IPV-related psychological stress on health. Also, the concept that health-promoting behaviors could slow down cellular aging might even motivate abused women to change their lifestyles. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials NCT02060123. Registered February 6, 2014.published_or_final_versio

A randomized, wait-list controlled trial of a Qigong Intervention Program on Telomerase Activity and Psychological Stress in abused Chinese women

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of a qigong intervention program on (primary objective) telomerase activity and (secondary objectives) pro-inflammation cytokines, perceived stress, perceived coping, and depressive symptoms in Chinese women with a history of intimate partner violence. HYPOTHESES TO BE TESTED: Abused Chinese women in the intervention group will have higher levels of telomerase activity and perceived coping, and lower levels of proinflammation cytokines, perceived stress, and depressive symtpoms, on completion of a qigong intervention program, compared to abused Chinese women in the wait-list …postprin

Geometry analysis and systematic synthesis of highly porous isoreticular frameworks with a unique topology

Porous coordination polymers are well known for their easily tailored framework structures and corresponding properties. Although systematic modulations of pore sizes of binary prototypes have gained great success, simultaneous adjustment of both pore size and shape of ternary prototypes remains unexplored, owing to the difficulty in controlling the self-assembly of multiple molecular building blocks. Here we show that simple geometry analysis can be used to estimate the influence of the linker lengths and length ratios on the synthesis/construction difficulties and framework stabilities of a highly symmetric, ternary prototype composed of a typical trinuclear metal cluster and two types of bridging carboxylate ligands. As predicted, systematic syntheses with 5×5 ligand combinations produced 13 highly porous isoreticular frameworks, which show not only systematic adjustment of pore volumes (0.49–2.04 cm3 g−1) and sizes (7.8–13.0 Å; 5.2–12.0 Å; 7.4–17.4 Å), but also anisotropic modulation of the pore shapes

Concurrent Exposure of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) to Multiple Algal Toxins in Sarasota Bay, Florida, USA

Sentinel species such as bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) can be impacted by large-scale mortality events due to exposure to marine algal toxins. In the Sarasota Bay region (Gulf of Mexico, Florida, USA), the bottlenose dolphin population is frequently exposed to harmful algal blooms (HABs) of Karenia brevis and the neurotoxic brevetoxins (PbTx; BTX) produced by this dinoflagellate. Live dolphins sampled during capture-release health assessments performed in this region tested positive for two HAB toxins; brevetoxin and domoic acid (DA). Over a ten-year study period (2000–2009) we have determined that bottlenose dolphins are exposed to brevetoxin and/or DA on a nearly annual basis (i.e., DA: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009; brevetoxin: 2000, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009) with 36% of all animals testing positive for brevetoxin (n = 118) and 53% positive for DA (n = 83) with several individuals (14%) testing positive for both neurotoxins in at least one tissue/fluid. To date there have been no previously published reports of DA in southwestern Florida marine mammals, however the May 2008 health assessment coincided with a Pseudo-nitzschia pseudodelicatissima bloom that was the likely source of DA observed in seawater and live dolphin samples. Concurrently, both DA and brevetoxin were observed in common prey fish. Although no Pseudo-nitzschia bloom was identified the following year, DA was identified in seawater, fish, sediment, snails, and dolphins. DA concentrations in feces were positively correlated with hematologic parameters including an increase in total white blood cell (p = 0.001) and eosinophil (p<0.001) counts. Our findings demonstrate that dolphins within Sarasota Bay are commonly exposed to two algal toxins, and provide the impetus to further explore the potential long-term impacts on bottlenose dolphin health

Risk propensity in the foreign direct investment location decision of emerging multinationals

A distinguishing feature of emerging economy multinationals is their apparent tolerance for host country institutional risk. Employing behavioral decision theory and quasi-experimental data, we find that managers’ domestic experience satisfaction increases their relative risk propensity regarding controllable risk (legally protectable loss), but decreases their tendency to accept non-controllable risk (e.g., political instability). In contrast, firms’ potential slack reduces relative risk propensity regarding controllable risk, yet amplifies the tendency to take non-controllable risk. We suggest that these counterbalancing effects might help explain observation that risk-taking in FDI location decisions is influenced by firm experience and context. The study provides a new understanding of why firms exhibit heterogeneous responses to host country risks, and the varying effects of institutions