Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Using Interviews And Peer Pairs To Better Understand How School Environments Affect Young Children's Playground Physical Activity Levels: A Qualitative Study, Anne-Maree Parrish, Heather Yeatman, Donald Iverson, Ken Russell

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

School break times provide a daily opportunity for children to be active; however, research indicates this time is underutilized. Reasons for low children’s playground activity levels have primarily focused on physical barriers. This research aimed to contribute to physical environmental findings affecting children’s playground physical activity levels by identifying additional variables through the interview process. Thirteen public schools were included in the sample (total 2946 children). Physical activity and environmental data were collected over 3 days. Environmental variables were manually assessed at each of the 13 schools. Observational data were used to determine which three schools were the most and …

The Impact Of Complex Survey Design On Prevalence Estimates Of Intakes Of Food Groups In The Australian National Children's Nutrition And Physical Activity Survey, Sandy Burden, Yasmine Probst, David G. Steel, Linda C. Tapsell

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Activity And Molecular Dynamics Relationship Within The Family Of Human Cholinesterase, Judith Peters, Marie Trovaslet, Marcus Trapp, Florian Nachon, Flynn Hill, Etienne Royer, Frank Gabel, Lambert Van Eijck, Patrick Masson, Moeava Tehei

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

The temperature dependence of the dynamics of recombinant human acetylcholinesterase (hAChE) and plasma human butyrylcholinesterase (hBChE) is examined using elastic incoherent neutron scattering. These two enzymes belong to the same family and present 50% amino acid sequence identity. However, significantly higher flexibility and catalytic activity of hAChE when compared to the ones of hBChE are measured. At the same time, the average height of the potential barrier to the motions is increased in the hBChE, e.g. more thermal energy is needed to cross it in the latter case, which might be the origin of the increase in activation energy and …

Selective Reduction Of Hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic Acids To Their Hydroxy Derivatives By Apolipoprotein D: Implications For Lipid Antioxidant Activity And Alzheimer's Disease, Surabhi Bhatia, Bianca Knoch, Jenny Wong, Woojin Scott Kim, Paul Else, Aaron J. Oakley, Brett Garner

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

ApoD (apolipoprotein D) is up-regulated in AD (Alzheimer's disease) and upon oxidative stress. ApoD inhibits brain lipid peroxidation in vivo, but the mechanism is unknown. Specific methionine residues may inhibit lipid peroxidation by reducing radical-propagating L-OOHs (lipid hydroperoxides) to non-reactive hydroxides via a reaction that generates MetSO (methionine sulfoxide). Since apoD has three conserved methionine residues (Met49, Met93 and Met157), we generated recombinant proteins with either one or all methionine residues replaced by alanine and assessed their capacity to reduce HpETEs (hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acids) to their HETE (hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid) derivatives. ApoD, apoDM49-A and apoDM157-A all catalysed the reduction of HpETEs to …

Synthesis And Anti-Leukaemic Activity Of Pyrrolo[3,2,1-Hi]Indole-1,2- Diones, Pyrrolo[3,2,1-Ij]Quinoline-1,2-Diones And Other Polycyclic Isatin Derivatives, Lidia Matesic, Julie M. Locke, Kara Vine, Marie Ranson, John B. Bremner, Danielle Skropeta

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

To further expand the structure–cytotoxic activity relationships of isatin derivatives and to reduce flexibility in substituent groups at nitrogen, 20 analogues incorporating a ring system between the N1 and C7 atoms of isatin were prepared using a variety of synthetic strategies. This yielded pyrroloindole-, pyrroloquinoline-, pyrroloacridine-, pyrrolophenanthridine- and benzopyrrolophenanthridine-based systems with embedded isatin moieties, the latter possessing a novel carbon skeleton. These compounds were subsequently assessed for their in vitro cytotoxicity against human U937 lymphoma cells, with the brominated pyrroloacridine dione 27 showing the most promising activity (IC50 3.01 μM) after 24 h.

The Relationship Between Particulate Pollution Levels In Australian Cities, Meteorology, And Landscape Fire Activity Detected From Modis Hotspots, Owen F. Price, Grant J. Williamson, Sarah B. Henderson, Fay Johnston, David M. J. S Bowman

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Generally, sigmoid curves are used to describe the growth of animals over their lifetime. However, because growth rates often differ over an animal's lifetime a single curve may not accurately capture the growth. Broken-stick models constrained to pass through a common point have been proposed to describe the different growth phases, but these are often unsatisfactory because essentially there are still two functions that describe the lifetime growth. To provide a single, converged model to age animals with disparate growth phases we developed a smoothly joining two-phase nonlinear function (SJ2P), tailored to provide a more accurate description of lifetime growth …

Phytochemical And Biological Activity Studies Of The Bhutanese Medicinal Plant Corydalis Crispa, Phurpa Wangchuk, Paul A. Keller, Stephen G. Pyne, Thanapat Sastraruji, Malai Taweechotipatr, Roonglawan Rattanajak, Aunchalee Tonsomboon, Sumalee Kamchonwongpaisan

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

The chemical constituents and biological activities of Corydalis crispa (Fumariaceae) were investigated for the first time. The phytochemical study resulted in the isolation of nine known isoquinoline alkaloids: protopine (1), 13-oxoprotopine (2), 13-oxocryptopine (3), stylopine (4), coreximine (5), rheagenine (6), ochrobirine (7), sibiricine (8) and bicuculline (9), with complete NMR data for 2 and 3 provided here for the first time. Crude extracts exhibitedsignificant anti-inflammatory (p < 0.01) activity against TNF-alpha production in LPS activated THP-1 cells. The acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of compounds 2, 4 and 7 and the antiplasmodial activity of compound 5 against P. falciparum strains TM4/8.2 and K1CB1 (multidrug resistant strain) are reported here for the first time. Stylopine (4) did not show antimalarial activity against the K1CB1 strain in contrast to a previous report. This study generated a scientific basis for the use of this plant in Bhutanese traditional medicine, either individually or in combination with other medicinal ingredients to treat a broad range of disorders. This study also identified compound 5 as potential new antimalarial lead compound.

Structural Insights Into The Dehydroascorbate Reductase Activity Of Human Omega-Class Glutathione Transferases, Huina Zhou, Joseph Brock, Dan Liu, Philip G. Board, Aaron J. Oakley

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

The reduction of dehydroascorbate (DHA) to ascorbic acid (AA) is a vital cellular function. The omega-class glutathione transferases (GSTs) catalyze several reductive reactions in cellular biochemistry, including DHA reduction. In humans, two isozymes (GSTO1-1 and GSTO2-2) with significant DHA reductase (DHAR) activity are found, sharing 64% sequence identity. While the activity of GSTO2-2 is higher, it is significantly more unstable in vitro. We report the first crystal structures of human GSTO2-2, stabilized through site-directed mutagenesis and determined at 1.9Å resolution in the presence and absence of glutathione (GSH). The structure of a human GSTO1-1 has been determined at 1.7Å resolution …

An Indoor Localisation And Motion Monitoring System To Determine Behavioural Activity In Dementia Afflicted Patients In Aged Care, Matthew D'Souza, Montserrat Ros, Mohanraj Karunanithi

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Dementia is highly prevalent among the older population. Most patients with dementia are admitted to an aged care facility due to wandering behaviour which tends to result in dangerous scenarios such as straying away from the facility and being seriously injured. Due to the decreasing availability of carers in aged care, there is a need to prioritise monitoring of patients that have a severe case of wondering. The challenge is to allow carers to monitor the status of such patients in terms of position localisation and motion behavioural status, in real-time. The long term behavioural analysis of such patients would …

Physical Activity And Energy Expenditure In Haemodialysis Patients: An International Survey, Carla Maria Avesani, Stanislas Trolonge, Patrik Deleaval, Flavia Baria, Denise Mafra, Gerd Faxen-Irving, Phillipe Chauveau, Daniel Teta, Maria Ayako Kamimura, Maria Chan, Lilian Cuppari, Olof Heimburger, Denis Fouque

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background. The assessment of physical activity and energy expenditure is relevant to the care of maintenance haemodialysis (MHD) patients. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate measurements of physical activity and energy expenditure in MHD patients from different centres and countries and explored the predictors of physical activity in these patients. Methods. In this cross-sectional multicentre study, 134MHD patients from four countries (France, Switzerland, Sweden and Brazil) were included. The physical activity was evaluated for 5.0 6 1.4 days (mean 6 SD) by a multisensory device (SenseWear Armband) and comprised the assessment of number of steps per day, activity-related …

Influence Of 18ghz Microwave Radiation On The Enzymatic Activity Of Escherichia Coli Lactate Dehydrogenase And Cytochrome C Oxidase, Yuri Shamis, Alex Traub, Rodney J. Croft, Russell Crawford, Elena Ivanova

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The catalytic activity of two common bacterial enzymes, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and cytochrome c oxidase (COX) from Escherichia coli, was examined following bacterial exposure to microwave (MW) radiation under well-defined experimental conditions. The experiments were conducted in a specialised microwave processing apparatus, with an exposure frequency of 18 GHz, and a temperature profile that was restricted to below 40oC to avoid thermal degradation of the bacteria. The absorbed power was calculated to be 1500 kW/m3 and the electric field was determined to be 300 V/m. Both values were theoretically confirmed using Computer Simulation Technology (CST) Microwave Studio 3D Electromagnetic Stimulation …

Activity Counts From Accelerometers Do Not Add Value To Energy Expenditure Predictions In Sedentary Overweight Individuals During Weight Loss Interventions, Sze Yen Tan, Marijka Batterham, Linda C. Tapsell

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: Knowing the total energy expenditure (TEE) of overweight adults is important for prescribing weight loss interventions. However, objective measurements of TEE may not always be readily available and can be expensive. This study aimed to investigate the validity of RT3 accelerometers in predicting the TEE of sedentary overweight adults, and to identify any sensitivity to anthropometric changes. Methods: The analysis used data from a 12-week weight loss study. At baseline and 12-week, TEE was predicted using RT3 accelerometers during whole room calorimeter stays. Bias between 2 methods was compared at and between the baseline and 12-week measurement points. Multiple …

Relationship Between Plantar Pressures, Physical Activity And Sedentariness Among Preschool Children, Karen J. Mickle, Dylan P. Cliff, Bridget J. Munro, Anthony D. Okely, Julie R. Steele

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

It has been speculated that high plantar pressures might cause foot pain and discomfort which, in turn, may discourage children from being physically active and result in them spending more time in sedentary activities. The purpose of this study was to determine whether plantar pressure distributions generated by preschool children were correlated with objectively measured time spent in physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Dynamic plantar pressures were measured for 33 preschool children (age = 4.3±0.6 years; height = 1.06±0.1 m; mass = 18.4±2.9 kg; 17 boys) as they walked across an emed AT-4 pressure platform. Physical activity was objectively assessed …

Effects Of Dairy Products On Crohn's Disease Symptoms Are Influenced By Fat Content And Disease Location But Not Lactose Content Or Disease Activity Status In A New Zealand Population, Deborah Nolan, Linda C. Tapsell, Rong Hu, Dug Yeo Han, Lynnette Ferguson

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background Dairy products have been perceived as having the potential to cause adverse effects in individuals with Crohn’s disease (CD) and are often avoided, potentially increasing the risk of osteoporosis and related morbidity associated with inadequate dietary calcium intake. Objective To evaluate the self-reported effects of dairy products on CD symptoms and to determine whether these effects differed between types of dairy products consumed and disease state or location. Design Secondary analysis of dietary survey and clinical data from participants in the Genes and Diet in Inflammatory Bowel Disease study based in Auckland, New Zealand. Subjects/setting One hundred and sixty-five …

Wild Type And Tangier Disease Abca1 Mutants Modulate Cellular Amyloid-Beta Production Independent Of Cholesterol Efflux Activity, Kim S. Woojin, Andrew F. Hill, Michael L. Fitzgerald, Mason W. Freeman, Genevieve Evin, Brett Garner

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Cerebral amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition is a critical feature of Alzheimer’s disease. Aβ is derived from the amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP) via two sequential cleavages that are mediated by β-secretase and the γ-secretase complex. Such amyloidogenic AβPP processing occurs in lipid raft microdomains of cell membranes and it is thought that modulating the distribution of lipids in rafts may regulate AβPP processing and Aβ production. Certain ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters regulate lipid transport across cell membranes and, as recent studies reveal, within membrane microdomains. ABCA1 also regulates Aβ metabolism in the brain although its direct impact on AβPP remains an open …

Declining Physical Activity Levels As An Unintended Consequence Of Abolishing Mandatory Campus Service Fees, Sandra C. Jones, Lance R. Barrie

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective: This study investigates the effect of the introduction of voluntary student unionism and subsequent increase in campus facility fees on engagement in physical activity on campus. Participants: Participants were 1,904 students from a large regional NSW (Australia) university across 3 time periods (926 in 2005, 504 in 2006, and 474 in 2007). Methods: Students completed a survey across the 3 time periods, responding to questions about physical activity levels, use of on-campus and off-campus facilities, and barriers to facility use. Results: Participation in physical activity at university facilities was low overall, and declined substantially between 2005 and 2007, with …

Beat It: Diabetes Lifestyle And Physical Activity Program - The Effects And Affordability Of A 12-Week Community Based, Physical Activity Program For People With Or At Risk Of Diabetes, Bronwyn Penny, Joel Tuccia, Marc A. Brown

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Citrate Synthase Activity Does Not Account For Age-Related Differences In Maximum Aerobic Performance In House Sparrows (Passer Domesticus), William A. Buttemer, C Bech, Mark A. Chappell

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

We measured basal (BMR) and peak metabolic rates (PMR) in juvenile and adult House Sparrows. Juvenile birds had significantly higher BMR, but lower PMR than adult birds, despite having statistically indistinguishable body masses. We then evaluated the relation between PMR and masses of central and peripheral organs and found that pectoral muscle mass best correlated with PMR in both groups, accounting for about 35% of the variation in PMR. Because citrate synthase (CS) has such major importance in affecting the first committed step in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, we characterized CS activity levels In extracted muscles to see if this …

The Cd-Loop Of Pai-2 (Serpinb2) Is Redundant In The Targeting, Inhibition And Clearance Of Cell Surface Upa Activity, Blake J. Cochran, Lakshitha P. Gunawardhana, Kara L. Perrow, Jodi A. Lee, Sergei A. Lobov, Marie Ranson

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Background: Plasminogen activator inhibitor type-2 (PAI-2, SERPINB2) is an irreversible, specific inhibitor of the urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA). Since overexpression of uPA at the surface of cancer cells is linked to malignancy, targeting of uPA by exogenous recombinant PAI-2 has been proposed as the basis of potential cancer therapies. To this end, reproducible yields of high purity protein that maintains this targeting ability is required. Herein we validate the use in vitro of recombinant 6 × His-tagged-PAI-2 lacking the intrahelical loop between C and D alpha-helices (PAI- 2 ΔCD-loop) for these purposes.

Results: We show that PAI-2 ΔCD-loop …

Polysaccharopeptide Enhances The Anticancer Activity Of Doxorubicin And Etoposide On Human Breast Cancer Cells Zr-75-30, Jennifer Man-Fan Wan, Wai Hung Sit, Jimmy Chun Yu Louie

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

In search of natural bioactive microbial compounds with adjuvant properties, we have previously showed that the polysaccharopeptide (PSP), isolated from Chinese medicinal mushroom Coriolus versicolor, was able to enhance the cytotoxicity of certain S-phase targeted-drugs on human leukemic HL-60 cells via some cell-cycle and apoptotic-dependent pathways. The present study aimed to investigate whether the synergism of mechanisms of PSP with certain chemotherapeutic drugs also applies to human breast cancer. PSP treatment enhanced the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin (Doxo), etoposide (VP-16) but not cytarabine (Ara-C). Bivariate bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd)/DNA flow cytometry analysis estimated a longer DNA synthesis time (Ts) for the PSP treated …

Evaluating The Impact Of The Environment On The Physical Activity Levels Of People With Dementia In Aged Care Facilities, Loren Devries, Victoria Traynor, Nancy Humpel

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

To evaluate the impact of the environment on the physical activity levels of people with dementia living in residential aged care facilities

Antimycobacterial Activity Of Cinnamate-Based Esters Of The Triterpenes Betulinic, Oleanolic And Ursolic Acids, Tanud Tanachatchairatana, John B. Bremner, Ratchanaporn Chokchaisiri, Apichart Suksamrarn

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Betulinic acid, oleanolic acid and ursolic acid have been modified at the C-3 position to cinnamate-based esters and in vitro antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H₃₇Ra has been determined. The results indicated that modification of the parent structures of betulinic acid, oleanolic acid and ursolic acid to the p-coumarate and, in the case of the latter two triterpenes, the ferulate ester analogues resulted in high antimycobacterial activity. Structure–activity relationships within the lupane, oleanane and ursane analogues and between these triterpenes are discussed.

Do Australian Primary School Environments Affect Children's Playground Physical Activity Levels?, Anne-Maree Parrish, Donald Iverson, Kenneth Russell, Heather Yeatman

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Depression And Quality Of Life In Cancer Survivors: Is There A Relationship With Physical Activity?, Nancy Humpel, Donald Iverson

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background Evidence is growing on the benefit of physical activity to improve well-being following a cancer diagnosis. This study examined changes in physical activity from pre to post diagnosis and explored this relationship with quality of life and depression. Methods Participants were recruited by posters and by letter of invitation. The questionnaire was completed by 59 prostate and 32 breast cancer survivors. Results Physical activity decreased by 72 minutes per week from pre to post diagnosis, although 20.9% reported having increased activity post diagnosis. Over 30% were considered depressed. Breast cancer participants who increased physical activity post diagnosis reported higher …

Plasminogen Binding And Activation At The Breast Cancer Cell Surface: The Integral Role Of Urokinase Activity, Gillian E. Stillfried, Darren Saunders, Marie Ranson

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

INTRODUCTION: The regulation of extracellular proteolytic activity via the plasminogen activation system is complex, involving numerous activators, inhibitors and receptors. Previous studies on monocytic and colon cell lines suggest that plasmin pre treatment can increase plasminogen binding, allowing the active enzyme to generate binding sites for its precursor. Other studies have shown the importance of pre formed receptors such as annexin II heterotetramer. However, few studies have utilised techniques which exclusively characterise cell surface events and these mechanisms have not been investigated at the breast cancer cell surface. METHODS: We have studied plasminogen binding to MCF 7 in which uPAR …

Mimicking Phosphorylation Of Alphab-Crystallin Affects Its Chaperone Activity, Heath W. Ecroyd, Sarah Meehan, J Horwitz, Andrew Aquilina, J L Benesch, C V Robinson, Cait Macphee, John Carver

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Scaling Of Na+, K+-Atpase Molecular Activity And Membrane Fatty Acid Composition In Mammalian And Avian Hearts, Anthony J. Hulbert, Paul Else, Kurt Haga, Nigel Turner

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

We have examined Na⁺,K⁺‐ATPase molecular activity and membrane fatty acid composition in the heart of six mammalian and eight avian species ranging in size from 30 g in mice to 280 kg in cattle and 13 g in zebra finches to 35 kg in emus, respectively. Na⁺,K⁺‐ATPase activity scaled negatively with body mass in both mammals and birds. In small mammals, the elevated enzyme activity was related to allometric changes in both the concentration and molecular activity (turnover rate) of Na⁺,K⁺‐ATPase enzymes, while in small birds, higher Na …

An Allometric Comparison Of Microsomal Membrane Lipid Composition And Sodium Pump Molecular Activity In The Brain Of Mammals And Birds, Anthony J. Hulbert, Paul Else, Nigel Turner

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Previous research has shown that the lipid milieu surrounding membrane proteins may be an important factor in determining their activity. To investigate this we have examined sodium pump molecular activity and microsomal membrane lipid composition in the brain of five mammalian and eight avian species ranging in size from 30 g mice to 280 kg cattle and 13 g zebra finches to 35 kg emus, respectively. Sodium pump (Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase) activity was higher in the smaller species and showed a significant allometric decline with body mass in both the mammals (μmol P_i h^-1 mg wet …

A Survey Of Martian Dust Devil Activity Using Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera Images, Jenny A. Fisher, Mark I. Richardson, Claire E. Newman, Mark A. Szwast, Chelsea Graf, Shabari Basu, Shawn P. Ewald, Anthony D. Toigo, R. John Wilson

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

A survey of dust devils using the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) wide- and narrow-angle (WA and NA) images has been undertaken. The survey comprises two parts: (1) sampling of nine broad regions from September 1997 to July 2001 and (2) a focused seasonal monitoring of variability in the Amazonis region, an active dust devil site, from March 2001 to April 2004. For part 1, dust devils were identified in NA and WA images, and dust devil tracks were identified in NA images. Great spatial variability in dust devil occurrence is highlighted, with Amazonis Planitia being the …

Endogenous Redox Activity In Mouse Spermatozoa And Its Role In Regulating The Tyrosine Phosphorylation Events Associated With Sperm Capacitation, Heath W. Ecroyd, Russell C. Jones, Robert J. Aitken

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

We investigated the role of endogenous redox activity in regulating the signal transduction pathway leading to tyrosine phosphorylation in mouse spermatozoa. Endogenous redox activity was monitored using a luminol-peroxidase chemiluminescent probe. Chemiluminescence increased in spermatozoa that were actively undergoing cAMP-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation events associated with capacitation and was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by addition of catalase or diphenylene iodonium, both of which also inhibited tyrosine phosphorylation within the cell at points downstream of cAMP. Excluding bicarbonate from the incubation medium reduced the redox activity of sperm by 80-90% and dramatically reduced tyrosine phosphorylation. This study provides the first evidence …