Smoking habits of men and women.

The smoking habits of 1501 cigarette smokers attending 28 general practitioners in five group practices in London were assessed. Prevalence of smoking, daily cigarette consumption, and the use of cigars, untipped cigarettes, and hand-rolled cigarettes were lower in the women. After controlling for consumption the proportions of men and women who smoked every day were similar. Women who smoked 20 or more a day were similar to men in their self-reported inhaling habits and use of low-nicotine cigarettes. The results suggest that women differ from men in those aspects of smoking that are determined predominantly by social factors but that their smoking habits become similar when pharmacological motivation takes over. This apparently occurs when consumption reaches about 20 cigarettes a day, when smoking almost inevitably becomes a regular event and the sex differences disappear.     

Rats’ use of geometric, featural and orientation cues to locate a hidden goal

Over the past 20 years, a great deal of research has examined how different animals can use the geometric properties of the environment to determine their heading. Less well studied is how rats use the geometric properties of an environment to navigate, or determine the location, when it is not necessary to establish heading. Specifically, it is unclear to what extent rats still rely on geometric cues when they are not disoriented. In the current study, rats were trained to find food in one corner of a rectangular environment under either oriented or disoriented conditions. Probe tests placed geometric, featural and orientation cues in conflict. Results showed that featural cues exerted little control over the rats’ search preferences. All rats, whether trained while oriented or trained while disoriented, used geometric cues when these were the only cues available. Rats trained in the disoriented condition preferred geometric cues to orientation cues, whereas rats trained in the oriented condition showed more equal preference for orientation and geometric cues.     

Socio-demographic characteristics and lifestyle habits of pregnant women smokers

The aim of this study was to describe anthropometric, clinical, socio-demographic characteristics and lifestyle habits of pregnant smokers in comparison to pregnant nonsmokers. During years 1999-2003, 1,435 pregnant smokers and 4,772 pregnant nonsmokers were interviewed after delivery with a questionnaire. They were recorded clinical, anthropometric and socio-demographic data, smoking status, labor outcome, maternal and fetal hemoglobin concentrations for each patient. The two groups were comparable in anthropometric and clinical characteristics, duration of pregnancy and mode of delivery, except for birth weights, which were significantly lower in newborns of smokers. Maternal hemoglobin concentrations were significantly lower in smokers, but fetal hemoglobin concentrations were significantly higher in babies of smokers. The proportion of pregnant women who smoked during pregnancy was higher among urban women, among women with lower educational level and among unemployed subjects in comparison with nonsmokers. The pregnant women who smoked during pregnancy were more often caffeine and alcohol consumers. To further reduce smoking during pregnancy it is important to continue to promote smoking cessation among teenagers.     

Epibiont habitation patterns and their implications for life habits and orientation among trigoniid bivalves

The bivalve superfamily Trigoniacea has persisted from the Late Paleozoic to the Recent. Late Jurassic and terminal Cretaceous mass extinctions decimated this once-dominant group in shallow marine facies; only a single genus with seven species survives today in the Austral Province. Trigoniacea retain a vestigial byssus and primitive but efficient schizodont dentition. They have been widely considered as infaunal bivalves, burrowing with a very large foot to shallow depths, with inhalant and exhalant apertures at or slightly below the sediment-water interface (SWI). Yet the Trigoniacea are poorly adapted for this life habit. The mantle in living species is unfused and non-siphonate, and some fossil Trigoniacea have permanent shell gapes over these apertures, enhancing the probability of sediment fouling of feeding and respiratory structures. Some living Neotrigonia , e.g., N. margaritacea , solve this problem by having a semi-infaunal life habit, with the inhalant and exhalant apertures elevated above the SWI and the zone of active sediment transport. Semi-infaunal species commonly have epibionts cohabiting the exposed posterior-posteroventral portion of the shell. Numerous well-preserved species of South American Mesozoic Trigoniacea have phototropically and geotropically oriented epibionts on co-attached valves, strongly suggesting a semi-infaunal life mode for at least some members of these taxa. These shell symbionts allow orientation of extinct trigoniid shells relative to the SWI during life, as well as analysis of their depth of burial. Careful analyses of the kinds, size classes, orientation, and dispersion of various epibionts on fossil Trigoniacea thus yield important new information on their life habits, and demonstrate that semi-infaunal life modes were far more common than previously supposed.     

Prostaglandin metabolism in relation to the bowel habits of women

A relationship between the menstrual cycle, changes of bowel habits and concentrations of plasma prostaglandin (PG)E2, PGF2 alpha, 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and thromboxane (TX)B2 in 3 groups of 8 women with different bowel habit were determined. The concentrations of PGE2, PGF2 alpha and TXB2 were significantly higher in the group who had bowel habits smoother than usual at menses compared to those who had experienced constipation throughout cycle or at menses. However, no differences between at mid-cycle and at menses were observed in the groups who had experienced constipation. These results suggest that constipation of young women is related to the inherited inability of patients to synthesize and secrete PGs in plasma and possibly in small intestine.     

Dietary habits and folate status in women of childbearing age in Croatia

Folic acid and folates have an important role in prevention of neural tube defect that appears in the first weeks of pregnancy, when women are still not aware of their pregnancy, especially when pregnancy is not planned. Since ensuring sufficient quantities of folates and folic acid in this period is essential, dietary habits of childbearing age women are very important. In line with that the intake of folates and folic acid in nutrition of women age group 20-30 years is examined, as well as the frequency of consumption of foodstuffs rich in vitamins and folic acid supplements. Values of folates in serum are presented, dependent on their nutritional habits. Obtained results indicate that in spite of inadequate intake of folates and folic acid from foodstuffs, clinical deficit is not recorded, which is the result of frequent consumption of dietary supplements. In accordance with these dietary habits, differences in the folates status of examinees were observed.     

Obesity prevalence and nutritional habits among Indian women: a comparison between Punjabi women living in India and Punjabi migrants in Vienna, Austria

The current study aimed to determine the prevalence of obesity and overweight among Indian women living in Punjab, India and in Vienna, Austria. A series of 115 women ageing between 17 and 80 years (x = 38.7 yrs; +/- 14.5) was enrolled in the present study. 65 women lived in the district of Jalandhar in Punjab, 50 Punjabi women lived in as migrants in Vienna Austria. Data collection comprised an anthropometric analysis including stature height, body weight and the body mass index (BMI). For classification of the weight status the Indian BMI cutoffs defined by the WHO for Asian Indians were used. Data concerning dietary patterns and lifestyle parameters were collected by structured interviews using a standardized questionnaire. Among both subgroups overweight and obesity were highly prevalent. Underweight (18.5%) was significantly more prevalent in Punjab than in Vienna (6.0 %), while overweight and obesity were more frequently found among Punjabi women in Vienna (26.0%; 54.0%) than among Punjabi women in India (9.2%; 24.6 %). Analysing lifestyle and dietary patterns it turned out that energy dense meals were preferred and fat and sugar were used frequently among both subsamples. A statistically significant relationship between dietary habits and weight status could not be proved.     

Physical training in obese women. Effects of muscle morphology, biochemistry and function

Peripheral adaptations to 3 months of physical endurance training without food restrictions were studied in skeletal muscles of 14, middle-aged, physically untrained, obese women. In comparison to aged-matched controls of normal weight, the obese group showed significantly lower isometric endurance. In the obese group, physical training resulted in a significant increase of maximal isometric and isokinetic strength. Isokinetic but not isometric endurance also increased after training. The isometric strength of obese women showed a positive correlation with the percentage of FTb fibres. The training (50 min/day, 3 days/w) did not result in any change in body weight, body fat, and the number and weight of fat cells. The 20% increase of VO2 max after training was found to be significantly correlated with the increase in the number of capillaries around muscle fibres. The relative percentage of FTa fibres, the number of capillaries per fibre as well as the activities of citrate synthase, 3-hydroxy-acyl-CoA-dehydrogenase, and hexokinase showed a significant increase after training. The concentrations of glucose during OGTT showed a trend to decrease with a significant decrease at the end glucose curve (120-min value). The concentration of insulin and C peptide and the insulin removal did not change after training. The changes in the concentration of glucose during OGTT was significantly correlated with the increase in muscle capillarization and of dynamic endurance.     

Critical determinants of endurance performance in middle-aged and elderly endurance runners with heterogeneous training habits

The current investigation was designed to determine which factor or what combination of factors would best account for distance running performance in middle-aged and elderly runners (mean age 57.5 years SD +/- 9.7) with heterogeneous training habits. Among 35 independent variables which were arbitrarily selected as possible prerequisites in the distance running performance of these runners, oxygen uptake (VO2) at lactate threshold (LT) (r = 0.781-0.889), maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) (r = 0.751 approximately 0.886), and chronological age (r = -0.736-(-)0.886) were found to be the 3 predictor variables showing the highest correlations with the mean running velocity at 5 km (V5km), 10 km (V10km), and marathon (VM). When all independent variables were used in a multiple regression analysis, any 3 or 4 variables selected from among VO2 at LT, chronological age, systolic blood pressure (SBP), atherogenic index (AI), and Katsura index (KI) were found to give the best explanation of V5km, V10km, or VM in a combined linear model. Linear multiple regression equations constructed for predicting the running performances were: V5km = 0.046X1-0.026X2-0.0056X3+5.17, V10km = 0.028X1-0.028X2-0.190X4-1.34X5+6.45, and VM = -0.0400X2-0.324X4-1.16X5+7.36, where X1 = VO2 at LT (ml.min-1.kg-1), X2 = chronological age, X3 = SBP, X4 = AI, and X5 = KI.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effects of Swiss-ball core strength training on strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance in sedentary women

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Swiss-ball core strength training on trunk extensor (abdominal)/flexor (lower back) and lower limb extensor (quadriceps)/flexor (hamstring) muscular strength, abdominal, lower back and leg endurance, flexibility and dynamic balance in sedentary women (n = 21; age = 34 ± 8.09; height = 1.63 ± 6.91 cm; weight = 64 ± 8.69 kg) trained for 45 minutes, 3 d·wk-1 for 12 weeks. Results of multivariate analysis revealed significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) between pre and postmeasures of 60 and 90° s trunk flexion/extension, 60 and 240° s-1 lower limb flexion/extension (Biodex Isokinetic Dynamometer), abdominal endurance (curl-up test), lower back muscular endurance (modified Sorensen test), lower limb endurance (repetitive squat test), lower back flexibility (sit and reach test), and dynamic balance (functional reach test). The results support the fact that Swiss-ball core strength training exercises can be used to provide improvement in the aforementioned measures in sedentary women. In conclusion, this study provides practical implications for sedentary individuals, physiotherapists, strength and conditioning specialists who can benefit from core strength training with Swiss balls.     

A comparison of high-speed power training and traditional slow-speed resistance training in older men and women

Muscle power, the product of force × velocity, is a critical determinant of function in older adults. Resistance training (RT) at high speed has been shown to improve peak muscle power in this population; however, different functional tasks may benefit from the improvement of power at values other than "peak" values, for example, tasks that require a greater velocity component or a greater force component. This study compared the effect of high-speed RT on muscle performance (peak power [PP] and its components [PP force and PP velocity] and overall peak velocity [VEL]) across a broad range of external resistances. Thirty-eight older men and women were randomized to high-speed power training at 40% of the 1-repetition maximum (1RM) (n = 13 [74.1 ± 6.4 years]); traditional RT at 80% 1RM (n = 13 [70.1 ± 7.0 years]); or control (n = 12 [72.8 ± 4.1 years]). Measures of muscle performance were obtained at baseline and after the 12-week training intervention. Muscle power and 1RM strength improved similarly with both high-speed and traditional slow-speed RT. However, speed-related muscle performance characteristics, PP velocity and overall VEL, were most positively impacted by high-speed power training, especially at lower external resistances. Because gains in speed-related measures with high-speed training compared to traditional RT do not come at the expense of other muscle performance outcomes, we recommend using an RT protocol in older adults that emphasizes high-speed movements at low external resistances.     

Effects of strength training on muscle strength characteristics, functional capabilities, and balance in middle-aged and older women

Progressive strength training can lead to substantial increases in maximal strength and mass of trained muscles, even in older women and men, but little information is available about the effects of strength training on functional capabilities and balance. Thus, the effects of 21 weeks of heavy resistance training--including lower loads performed with high movement velocities--twice a week on isometric maximal force (ISOmax) and force-time curve (force produced in 500 milliseconds, F0-500) and dynamic 1 repetition maximum (1RM) strength of the leg extensors, 10-m walking time (10WALK) and dynamic balance test (DYN.D) were investigated in 26 middle-aged (MI; 52.8 +/- 2.4 years) and 22 older women (O; 63.8 +/- 3.8 years). 1RM, ISOmax, and F0-500 increased significantly in MI by 28 +/- 10%, 20 +/- 19%, 31 +/- 34%, and in O by 27 +/- 8%, 20 +/- 16%, 18 +/- 45%, respectively. 10WALK (MI and O, p < 0.001) shortened and DYN.D improved (MI and O, p < 0.001). The present strength-training protocol led to large increases in maximal and explosive strength characteristics of leg extensors and in walking speed, as well to an improvement in the present dynamic balance test performance in both age groups. Although training-induced increase in explosive strength is an important factor for aging women, there are other factors that contribute to improvements in dynamic balance capacity. This study indicates that total body heavy resistance training, including explosive dynamic training, may be applied in rehabilitation or preventive exercise protocols in aging women to improve dynamic balance capabilities.     

An intensive combined training program modulates physical, physiological, biomotoric, and technical parameters in women basketball players

The purpose of this study was the investigation of the effects of an intensive combined training program based on the pretest scores of a university women's basketball team on their physical, physiological, biomotoric, and technical features. Twenty-four university volunteers were equally divided into two groups: an experiment group (intensive combined training group) and a control (technical training) group. The 10-week intensive combined training program was performed on the experiment group according to their pretest outcomes. Before and at the end of each period of training, which was scheduled four times a week, the physical, physiological, biomotoric, and technical performance of each subject were determined. With respect to the pre- and posttest measurements, the basketball group showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in girth measurements (shoulder, waist, hip, arm, thigh, and calf), in skinfold measurements (percent body fat), in physiological measurements (vital capacity and forced vital capacity), in biomotoric tests (right-left hand grip, dynamic and countermovement jump, sit-up, push-up, 1500-m endurance), and in technique tests (free and inside shooting). It can be concluded that a 10-week intensive combined training program performed on university women basketball players had a significant effect on improving their physical, physiological, biomotoric, and technical features. It proved to be highly recommendable for female basketball players who are preparing for short-term tournaments; the basketball group in this study won a championship.     

Interactive effects of three core goal pursuit processes on brain control systems: goal maintenance, performance monitoring, and response inhibition

Goal attainment relies in part on one's ability to maintain a cognitive representation of the desired goal (goal maintenance), monitor the current state vis-à-vis the targeted end state and remain vigilant for lapses in progress (performance monitoring), and inhibit counter-goal behaviors (response inhibition). Because neurocognitive studies have typically examined these three processes in isolation from one another, little is known regarding if and how they interact during goal pursuit. However, these processes frequently co-occur during online, real-world goal pursuit. The present study employed a novel task to investigate how goal maintenance, performance monitoring, and response inhibition interact with one another. We identified functional activations distinct to each of the processes that correspond to results of prior investigations. In addition, we report interactive effects between response inhibition and goal maintenance in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and between performance monitoring and goal maintenance in the superior frontal gyrus and supramarginal gyrus. Implications for studying the neural systems of in situ goals include the need for both experimental designs that distinguish between process, but also more complex, realistic tasks to begin to map interactions among these neurocognitive processes and how they are altered by the presence or absence of one another.     

Cardiovascular response to interval and continuous training in women.

Three groups of five women (age = 18--25 years) participated in a 12-week training program. Cardiovascular responses up to 85% VO2 max to interval (ITG) and continuous (CTG) training were studied in two groups, before training and after 4, 8, and 12 weeks of training four times per week. A control group was assessed before and after 6 and 12 weeks. Both exercise groups demonstrated significant increases in Cao2--Cvo2 after 8 weeks with only slight further increases after 12 weeks (CTG = 8.9%, ITG = 20.0% at 85% VO2 max). No significant changes were noted in either group in SV (+ 5 ml ITG, + 9 ml CTG) or in their Qc. These results indicated that, in response to high intensity training, women may demonstrate similar cardiovascular adaptations to training as have been observed for men.