Significant Main Effect Of Sex Research Articles

Effect of Exercise Training on Inflammatory Markers in Overweight and Obese Boys and Girls

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of exercise training on inflammatory markers in overweight and obese pre-pubertal boys and girls. METHODS: Forty-six overweight and obese children (age range 9-11 yr old, mean Tanner stage 1.2) volunteered for the study and were randomized to no-exercise control (CON, 6 boys and 7 girls) and exercise training (EX, 14 boys and 19 girls) groups for 16 weeks. Serum monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) were measured as markers of inflammation before and after the intervention. RESULTS: There was no difference between boys and girls in age (9.1±0.6 and 9.3±0.5 yr) or BMI percentile (94±1 and 97±1%) before the intervention. After the intervention, a significant increase in fitness (time to exhaustion for incremental treadmill test, p < 0.05) was observed in the EX (81±13 sec) but not in CON (12±22 sec). There was no effect of exercise training on MCP-1, IL-6 or TNF-alpha; however, percent changes in these pro-inflammatory markers were significantly decreased in girls, while the percent change values were significantly increased in boys, regardless of intervention group (significant main effect of sex, p < 0.05, table 1). There was no correlation between changes in body weight and inflammatory markers. RESULTS: There was no difference between boys and girls in age (9.1±0.6 and 9.3±0.5 yr) or BMI percentile (94±1 and 97 ± 1%) before the intervention. After the intervention, a significant increase in fitness (time to exhaustion for incremental treadmill test, p < 0.05) was observed in the EX (81 ± 13 sec) but not in CON (12 ± 22 sec). There was no effect of exercise training on MCP-1, IL-6 or TNF-alpha; however, percent changes in these pro-inflammatory markers were significantly decreased in girls, while the percent change values were significantly increased in boys, regardless of intervention group (significant main effect of sex, p < 0.05, table 1). There was no correlation between changes in body weight and inflammatory markers. CONCLUSION: There was a decrease in inflammatory markers over 16 weeks in girls, but not in boys, that is not due to exercise training. These data indicate previous findings that exercise training, in the absence of weight loss, do not affect inflammatory markers may be sex (and perhaps age) specific.Table 1: Inflammatory markers and changes in body weight in boys and girls before and after the intervention.Supported by NIH RO1DK071081

Sex differences in HIV effects on visual memory among substance-dependent individuals

ABSTRACTHIV’s effects on episodic memory have not been compared systematically between male and female substance-dependent individuals. We administered the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test–Revised (BVMT–R) to 280 substance-dependent HIV+ and HIV– men and women. Groups were comparable on demographic, substance use, and comorbid characteristics. There were no significant main effects of sex or HIV serostatus on BVMT–R performance, but HIV+ women performed significantly more poorly on delayed recall. This effect was most prominent among cocaine-dependent HIV+ women. Our findings are consistent with recent speculation that memory impairment may be more common among HIV+ women, particularly those with a history of cocaine dependence.

Intraindividual Variability in Test-Retest Air Displacement Plethysmography Measurements of Body Density for Men and Women.

Air displacement plethysmography (ADP) is a popular method for estimating body density (Db). Most ADP tests are performed once, with test-retest investigations scarce. Therefore, we investigated test-retest reliability of ADP. Active men (n = 25) and women (n = 25) volunteered and followed standard pretest guidelines. Participants wore dry, form-fitting swimwear and manufacturer-supplied swim caps. In a single session, two ADP trials with measured thoracic gas volume (TGV) were performed without repositioning participants. Separate 2 (sex) × 2 (ADP trial) repeated-measures ANOVAs were performed to investigate within-between comparisons of Db, TGV, body volume (Vb), and relative fatness (%BF). Paired t tests were used to investigate significant differences as appropriate. The Bland and Altman technique was used to depict individual intertrial variations. For all analyses, α =.05. A significant main effect for sex was found; men were lower in %BF and higher in all other variables compared with women. Individual variability was notable (ADP1-ADP2). The range of individual intertrial differences were larger for women than men, respectively, for Db (-0.0096-0.0045 g/cc; -0.0019-0.0054 g/cc), TGV (-0.623-1.325 L; -0.584-0.378 L), Vb (-0.249-2.10 L; -0.234-0.397 L), and %BF (-2.1-4.4%; -0.2-0.9%). When assessing body composition of women via ADP or using Db from ADP in a multicomponent model, at least two trials with measured TGV should be performed and the average of the values recorded and reported.

Differential effects of sex on substance use between first episode psychosis patients and healthy people

BackgroundSubstance use in psychosis is an important field of study given that it can be a risk factor for the development of psychosis and can give rise to psychotic symptoms. Studies of substance use in first episode psychosis patients do not frequently assess non-pathological substance consumption among patients, but rather the prevalence of substance abuse or dependence disorders. Moreover, most of these studies do not address the effects of sex in sufficient depth, and the consumption of caffeine or tobacco, which are two of the most frequently used substances, is often not assessed. ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to compare patterns and quantities of substance use between first episode psychosis patients and healthy controls and between men and women, and explore the potential interactive effects between group (patients or controls) and sex. MethodsA total of 158 participants (82 first episode psychosis patients and 76 healthy controls) were included in the study. Both adults and adolescents were included in the study. Frequency and amount of use of caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, hallucinogens, stimulants, and opiates were gathered. ResultsA significant main effect of sex was found for the frequency of use of tobacco (p=.050). Main effects of group were found for the quantity of tobacco (p<.001) and cannabis (p<.001) consumed, as well as main effects of sex for the quantity of alcohol (p=.003) and cannabis (p=.017) consumed. There were also interaction effects between group and sex for the frequency of use of tobacco (p=.005) and cannabis (p=.009), and for the amount of cannabis consumed (p=.049). Qualitative differences between males and females regarding combined substance use are also reported. ConclusionsAmong patients, men used tobacco more frequently than women, but this sex difference was not the same for the control group, in which women smoked more often than men. Regarding cannabis, men smoked cannabis more frequently and in larger amounts than women, but only in the patients group, whereas no sex differences for cannabis were found for the controls. Main effects of group and sex for tobacco and alcohol, as well as the lack of differences for the frequency and amount of use of caffeine, are also commented. This is the first study to assess the different effects of sex on substance use in first episode psychosis patients and healthy controls.

Regional Differences in Fall-Related Physical Fitness of the Elderly between Seoul, Korea and Gifu, Japan.

Falling is a leading cause of severe injuries among the elderly, such as hip fracture. This study examined the regional and sex differences in fall-related physical fitness of the elderly between Seoul, Korea and Gifu, Japan. The study included 87 elderly residents of Seoul (mean age 75.4 years; 21 males and 66 females) and 91 elderly residents of Gifu (mean age 71.9 years; 17 males and 74 females). The participants underwent various physical tests, and two-way ANCOVA (region × sex) with age as a covariate was used for statistical analysis. Significant interaction was shown by the one-legged stance (OLS) with eyes open test, which was higher in elderly females from Gifu than in those from Seoul. Significant main effects for the region were shown by the 30-s chair stand (CS-30) and reaction time tests, wherein the Gifu group performed better than the Seoul group. Significant main effects for sex were shown by the sit and reach, handgrip strength, and knee extension strength tests, which were higher for females in the sit and reach test and lower for females in the handgrip and knee extension strength tests compared to the corresponding males in both the cases. Lastly, elderly from Gifu performed better than those from Seoul in the reaction time, CS-30, and OLS tests. Since the ability to move quickly and maintain balance to avoid falling are factors necessary for reducing fall risk, fall prevention classes and exercise programs are required to improve these abilities in the elderly.

Physical Fitness Percentiles of German Children Aged 9-12 Years: Findings from a Longitudinal Study.

BackgroundGenerating percentile values is helpful for the identification of children with specific fitness characteristics (i.e., low or high fitness level) to set appropriate fitness goals (i.e., fitness/health promotion and/or long-term youth athlete development). Thus, the aim of this longitudinal study was to assess physical fitness development in healthy children aged 9–12 years and to compute sex- and age-specific percentile values.MethodsTwo-hundred and forty children (88 girls, 152 boys) participated in this study and were tested for their physical fitness. Physical fitness was assessed using the 50-m sprint test (i.e., speed), the 1-kg ball push test, the triple hop test (i.e., upper- and lower- extremity muscular power), the stand-and-reach test (i.e., flexibility), the star run test (i.e., agility), and the 9-min run test (i.e., endurance). Age- and sex-specific percentile values (i.e., P10 to P90) were generated using the Lambda, Mu, and Sigma method. Adjusted (for change in body weight, height, and baseline performance) age- and sex-differences as well as the interactions thereof were expressed by calculating effect sizes (Cohen’s d).ResultsSignificant main effects of Age were detected for all physical fitness tests (d = 0.40–1.34), whereas significant main effects of Sex were found for upper-extremity muscular power (d = 0.55), flexibility (d = 0.81), agility (d = 0.44), and endurance (d = 0.32) only. Further, significant Sex by Age interactions were observed for upper-extremity muscular power (d = 0.36), flexibility (d = 0.61), and agility (d = 0.27) in favor of girls. Both, linear and curvilinear shaped curves were found for percentile values across the fitness tests. Accelerated (curvilinear) improvements were observed for upper-extremity muscular power (boys: 10–11 yrs; girls: 9–11 yrs), agility (boys: 9–10 yrs; girls: 9–11 yrs), and endurance (boys: 9–10 yrs; girls: 9–10 yrs). Tabulated percentiles for the 9-min run test indicated that running distances between 1,407–1,507 m, 1,479–1,597 m, 1,423–1,654 m, and 1,433–1,666 m in 9- to 12-year-old boys and 1,262–1,362 m, 1,329–1,434 m, 1,392–1,501 m, and 1,415–1,526 m in 9- to 12-year-old girls correspond to a “medium” fitness level (i.e., P40 to P60) in this population.ConclusionsThe observed differences in physical fitness development between boys and girls illustrate that age- and sex-specific maturational processes might have an impact on the fitness status of healthy children. Our statistical analyses revealed linear (e.g., lower-extremity muscular power) and curvilinear (e.g., agility) models of fitness improvement with age which is indicative of timed and capacity-specific fitness development pattern during childhood. Lastly, the provided age- and sex-specific percentile values can be used by coaches for talent identification and by teachers for rating/grading of children’s motor performance.

Associations Between Attitudes Toward Physical Education and Aerobic Capacity in Hungarian High School Students

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to create a physical education (PE) attitude scale and examine how it is associated with aerobic capacity (AC). Method: Participants (n = 961, aged 15–20 years) were randomly selected from 26 Hungarian high schools. AC was estimated from performance on the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular and Endurance Run test, and the attitude scale had 31 items measured on a Likert scale that ranged from 1 to 5. Principal component analysis was used to examine the structure of the questionnaire while several 2-way analyses of variance and multiple linear regression (MLR) were computed to examine trends in AC and test the association between component scores obtained from the attitude scale and AC, respectively. Results: Five components were identified: health orientation in PE (C1), avoid failure in PE (C2), success orientation in PE (C3), attitude toward physical activity (C4), and cooperation and social experience in PE (C5). There was a statistically significant main effect for sex on C3 (p < .05), C4 (p < .001), and C5 (p < .05) indicating that boys' scores were higher than girls. The Sex × Age interaction was also statistically significant (p < .05) and follow-up comparisons revealed sex differences in C5 for 15-year-old participants. Girls showed statistically significant higher values than boys in C5 at the age of 16 years. MLR results revealed that component scores were significantly associated with AC (p < .05). Statistically significant predictors included C1, C2, C3, and C4 for boys and C2 and C4 for girls. Conclusion: The 5-component scale seems to be suitable for measuring students' attitudes toward PE. The design of the study does not allow for direct associations between attitudes and AC but suggests that these 2 might be related.

A repeated measures experiment of school playing environment to increase physical activity and enhance self-esteem in UK school children.

School playtime provides daily opportunities for children to be active outdoors, but only makes small contributions to physical activity (PA) requirements. Natural environments facilitate unstructured PA and children report a preference for play in nature. Thus, play on the school field might encourage children to be more active during playtime. The primary aim of this study was to examine the impact of the school playing environment on children's PA. Descriptive data and fitness were assessed in 25 children aged 8–9 years from a single primary school. Over two consecutive weeks participants were allocated to either play on the school field or playground during playtime. The order of play in the two areas was randomised and counterbalanced. Moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) was assessed during playtime on the last two days of each week using accelerometers. There was a significant interaction of environment and sex on MVPA during morning play (F(1,22) = 6.27; P<0.05; np 2 = 0.222), but not during lunch (P>0.05; np 2 = 0.060) or all of playtime combined (P>0.05; np 2 = 0.140). During morning play boys were significantly more active than girls on the playground (t(23) = 1.32; P<0.01; n2 = 0.291), but not on the field (P>0.05; n2 = 0.071). For lunch (F(1,22) = 24,11; P<0.001; np 2 = 0.523) and all of playtime combined (F(1,22) = 33.67; P<0.001; np 2 = 0.616) there was a significant effect of environment. There was also a significant main effect of sex during lunch (F(1,22) = 11.56; P<0.01; np 2 = 0.344) and all of playtime combined (F(1,22) = 12.37; P<0.01; np 2 = 0.371). MVPA was higher on the field and boys were more active than girls. Play on the field leads to increases in MVPA, particularly in girls. The promising trend for the effect of the natural environment on MVPA indicates that interventions aimed at increasing MVPA should use the natural environment and that schools should encourage greater use of their natural areas to increase PA.

Is the Sagittal Postural Alignment Different in Normal and Dysphonic Adult Speakers?

Clinical research in the field of voice disorders, in particular functional dysphonia, has suggested abnormal laryngeal posture due to muscle adaptive changes, although specific evidence regarding body posture has been lacking. The aim of our study was to verify if there were significant differences in sagittal spine alignment between normal (41 subjects) and dysphonic speakers (33 subjects). Cross-sectional study. Seventy-four adults, 35 males and 39 females, were submitted to sagittal plane photographs so that spine alignment could be analyzed through the Digimizer-MedCalc Software Ltd program. Perceptual and acoustic evaluation and nasoendoscopy were used for dysphonic judgments: normal and dysphonic speakers. For thoracic length curvature (TL) and for the kyphosis index (KI), a significant effect of dysphonia was observed with mean TL and KI significantly higher for the dysphonic speakers than for the normal speakers. Concerning the TL variable, a significant effect of sex was found, in which the mean of the TL was higher for males than females. The interaction between dysphonia and sex did not have a significant effect on TL and KI variables. For the lumbar length curvature variable, a significant main effect of sex was demonstrated; there was no significant main effect of dysphonia or significant sex×dysphonia interaction. Findings indicated significant differences in some sagittal spine posture measures between normal and dysphonic speakers. Postural measures can add useful information to voice assessment protocols and should be taken into account when considering particular treatment strategies.

Dynamic postural stability in young adolescent male and female athletes.

To investigate dynamic postural stability performance of young adolescent athletes. Eighty-nine male and 81 female athletes participated. Each participant performed 3 trials of the anterior, posterior-medial, and posterior-lateral reach directions of the Star Excursion Balance Test on each limb. Distance achieved for each direction was expressed as a percentage of leg length, with the composite reach distance of these directions being used for statistical analysis. No significant interaction effect for sex and limb dominance (P > .05) was found, nor was a significant main effect for sex or limb dominance (P > .05) observed. Notably, the composite reach distance achieved by both male and female athletes was less than 94% of leg length, a value that has previously been identified for increased injury risk in adolescent athletes. Further longitudinal research is needed to fully understand how dynamic postural stability changes over adolescence.

Are There Differences in Neurocognitive Function and Symptoms Between Male and Female Soccer Players After Concussions?

Background: Researchers have suggested that there are sex differences in outcomes after sport-related concussions. Factors such as sport type/rules, age, and body mass index (BMI) may influence these differences. Hypotheses/Purpose: The purposes of this study were (1) to examine neurocognitive performance after concussions between male and female soccer players and (2) to compare concussion symptoms between male and female soccer players. We hypothesized that female concussed soccer players would report more concussion symptoms and worse cognitive performance compared with male concussed soccer players. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: A total of 39 male (mean BMI, 22.21 ± 2.34 kg/m2; mean age, 17.69 ± 2.10 years) and 56 female (mean BMI, 23.47 ± 2.66 kg/m2; mean age, 17.78 ± 2.30 years) concussed soccer players participated in this study. Participants were similar in age, history of concussion, sport, and time since injury. Participants completed computerized neurocognitive tests and symptom reports at baseline and 8 days after injury. Body mass index served as a covariate in all analyses. Results: After adjusting for BMI, results from a repeated-measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed a group by time interaction for visual memory (F1,82 = 5.50; P = .021). Specifically, female concussed soccer players (mean score, 68.7 ± 15.2) performed worse at 8 days after a concussion compared with male concussed athletes (mean score, 77.2 ± 8.9). Results of another ANCOVA for total concussion symptoms indicated an interaction for group by time (F1,82 = 4.26; P = .04). Specifically, female concussed soccer players (mean score, 11.9 ± 15.7) reported more total concussion symptoms at 8 days compared with male concussed athletes (mean score, 5.3 ± 7.4). There were significant main effects for sex on verbal (F1,82 = 5.98; P = .017) and visual (F1,82 = 4.65; P = .034) memory, with female athletes reporting lower scores than male athletes. Female athletes also reported more symptoms on the migraine-cognitive-fatigue (F1,82 = 10.8; P = .001) and sleep (F1,82 = 9.2; P = .003) clusters than male athletes. Conclusion: In contrast to recent studies, after controlling for BMI, female athletes exhibited lower performance on visual memory composite scores and higher scores on total symptoms than male athletes after concussions.

Dorsal body pigmentation and sexual dimorphism in the marbled salamander (Ambystoma opacum)

Marbled salamanders (Ambystoma opacum) have individually variable dorsal pigmentation patterns. But it is unclear whether or not dorsal pigmentation is associated with variables such as body size and sex. In this study, we test the hypothesis that the body size variables and sex are important predictors of the coverage of dorsal body white pigmentation in adult marbled salamanders. We evaluate the degree of sexual dimorphism in several body traits, including the dorsal body white pigmentation, using univariate and multivariate methods, and analyze the sex-related difference in pigmentation asymmetry. The General Linear Model (GLM) predicts a significant main effect of sex and a significant interaction between sex and dorsal body area (DBA), influencing the coverage of dorsal body white pigmentation. The interaction effect is greater in males than in females. We show significant sex-related differences in body size and shape. Eight morphometric traits reveal female-biased sexual size dimorphism, while males display a greater coverage of dorsal white pigmentation than females. Prominent female characteristics, compared to males, include a significantly heavier and longer body with a wider trunk, head, neck, shoulder and waist. These sex-specific differences suggest selection for a larger body size in females because of increased maternal reproductive success associated with larger body size. Additionally, females display greater pigmentation asymmetry than males, suggesting a significant sex-related disparity in asymmetric pigmentation. Potential ecological and developmental implications of the observed dimorphism are discussed. To our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating an association of dorsal white pigmentation with dorsal body area and sex, including a significantly disproportionate pigmentation asymmetry between sexes, in adult marbled salamanders.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Melanin-Concentrating Hormone (MCH) and Hypocretin-1 (HCRT-1, Orexin-A) in Alzheimer’s Disease

Ancillary to decline in cognitive abilities, patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) frequently suffer from behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Hypothalamic polypeptides such as melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) and hypocretin-1 (HCRT-1, orexin-A) are promoters of sleep-wake regulation and energy homeostasis and are found to impact on cognitive performance. To investigate the role of MCH and HCRT-1 in AD, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels were measured in 33 patients with AD and 33 healthy subjects (HS) using a fluorescence immunoassay (FIA). A significant main effect of diagnosis (F(1,62) = 8.490, p<0.01) on MCH levels was found between AD (93.76±13.47 pg/mL) and HS (84.65±11.40 pg/mL). MCH correlated with T-tau (r = 0.47; p<0.01) and P-tau (r = 0.404; p<0.05) in the AD but not in the HS. CSF-MCH correlated negatively with MMSE scores in the AD (r = −0.362, p<0.05) and was increased in more severely affected patients (MMSE≤20) compared to HS (p<0.001) and BPSD-positive patients compared to HS (p<0.05). In CSF-HCRT-1, a significant main effect of sex (F(1,31) = 4.400, p<0.05) with elevated levels in females (90.93±17.37 pg/mL vs. 82.73±15.39 pg/mL) was found whereas diagnosis and the sex*diagnosis interaction were not significant. Elevated levels of MCH in patients suffering from AD and correlation with Tau and severity of cognitive impairment point towards an impact of MCH in AD. Gender differences of CSF-HCRT-1 controversially portend a previously reported gender dependence of HCRT-1-regulation. Histochemical and actigraphic explorations are warranted to further elucidate alterations of hypothalamic transmitter regulation in AD.

Resting-state cerebral blood flow in amygdala is modulated by sex and serotonin transporter genotype

Serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) has been associated with modulation of resting-state amygdala level, which was considered to underlie a risk for mood and anxiety disorders. The findings however have been inconsistent which could be related to interactions of the genotype with other factors e.g. sex or personality characteristics. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the modulation of the amygdala perfusion in the resting-state by sex and 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 genotype, controlled for personality dimensions assessed by Temperament and Character Inventory (Cloninger et al., 1994). The resting-state cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was examined using an arterial spin labelling technique. All participants were genotyped for the 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 genotype (L/L-L/S-S/S genotypes and LA-LG variants). The study group comprised 81 right-handed Caucasian healthy volunteers (42 females) aged 19-55 years. We measured rCBF in the amygdala and in the whole-brain grey matter. The data of blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) response in amygdala to fearful dynamic faces in the same sample were also analysed. There was a significant main effect of sex in both the left and right amygdalae, with higher rCBF in males. Main effect of 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 genotype which was significant in the right amygdala only, was accounted for by higher rCBF in S/S vs. L/L homozygotes. An interaction between sex and 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 genotype was observed in rCBF in the right amygdala. This was accounted for by higher values of rCBF in the right amygdala in males' S allele carriers compared with females. In females, there was a significant negative correlation between the rCBF and BOLD response in the right amygdala, and more so in S carriers. In males, there was no significant correlation between rCBF and BOLD response in the right amygdala. The novelty of our results lies in the demonstration of gene by sex interaction with resting blood flow in the amygdala that elucidates sex-related differences in emotional reactivity.

Does sex moderate the relationship between anxiety and pain?

Objectives : Sex differences exist in the relationship between anxiety and pain, although findings are mixed. One reason could be because a number of anxiety measures have been used. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the core components within commonly used pain anxiety measures, and see whether these components are differentially related to sensation and pain thresholds in men and women. Design, main outcome measures : One hundred and eighty-nine healthy adults (119 female) completed the Fear of Pain Questionnaire, Pain Catastrophising Scale, Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale, Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. Thermal sensation and pain thresholds, mechanical sensation and pressure pain thresholds were also collected. Results : A Principal Components Analysis of anxiety measures revealed three constructs: general distress, cognitive intrusion and fear of pain from injury/insult. Sex did not moderate the relationship between these anxiety constructs and sensation/pain thresholds. However, a significant main effect of sex was found to predict thermal pain thresholds. Conclusion : Preliminary indications suggest that pain anxiety dimensions can be reduced to three core constructs, and used to examine pain sensation. However, sex did not moderate this relationship. Further research is required to establish the extent and strength of sex differences in the relationship between anxiety and pain.

Cardiovascular responses to stress in Singapore and India

BackgroundEpidemiological studies have shown significant ethnic differences in coronary heart disease death rates with South Asians showing significantly greater coronary heart disease mortality than other groups. PurposeThis research examined ethnic differences in cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) among Chinese, Malays and Indians in Singapore as well as a sample of Indians living in India. MethodsExperiment 1 examined differences across 303 Chinese, Malay and Indian undergraduates in Singapore, while Experiment 2 looked at differences in CVR between Indian participants from Singapore, and 145 Indians living in India. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), heart rate (HR), cardiac index (CI) and total peripheral resistance index (TPRI) were measured during baselines and five laboratory tasks. ResultsEthnicity main effects for SBP and CI reactivity were obtained in Experiment 1, with Indians showing significantly lower BP and CI reactivity than the Chinese and Malays. Significant main effects for sex were found with females showing lower reactivity than males for TPRI, and greater reactivity than males for HR and CI. Experiment 2 found that participants from India showed higher reactivity for SBP, HR and CI, while Indian participants from Singapore showed higher TPRI reactivity. These differences, however, often varied by task. ConclusionsThese results point to differences in CVR among ethnic groups in Singapore as well as between Indians living in India and those living in Singapore. These differences may reflect cultural differences and need to be explored further with respect to their relationship to different rates of coronary heart disease among these groups.

Exploration of spirituality in doctor of physical therapy students and graduate students in non-health disciplines

Background/Aims: The purpose of this study was to explore spirituality in doctor of physical therapy (DPT) students, and to compare these findings with graduate students from other disciplines outside healthcare. An additional purpose was to determine DPT student attitudes towards spirituality and its relevance to their profession. Methods: A brief survey was administered including the 16-item Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale (DSES). Findings: A total of 65 DPT students and a total of 132 non-healthcare graduate students completed the survey. Age did not show a statistically significant relationship (r=.051, P&gt;.05) to spirituality in our subjects and was therefore excluded from further analysis. A 2-way, between-subjects ANOVA was performed to test for differences in spirituality scores between the sexes and between the two student groups. There was a significant main effect for sex [F(1,173) =8.771, P=.004]. There was no significant main effect for Academic Major group (P&gt;.05). There were no significant interactions (P&gt;.05). The vast majority of physical therapy students indicated that physical therapists should be concerned with the spiritual health of their clients (81.5%), and that their education should include exposure to spiritual health issues (78.5%). Conclusions: Spirituality in DPT students does not differ significantly from non-healthcare graduate students. DPT students, however, do have high levels of daily spiritual experiences, believe spirituality is important to the profession, and desire training in this area. Physical therapy educational programmes may want to consider expanding this component of the entry-level curriculum.

Sex Differences in the Effects of Inhaled Corticosteroids on Weight Gain among Patients with Asthma

Background. Studies have shown that asthma and asthma exacerbations are related to body weight and that this relationship might be sex-specific. While oral corticosteroids have been associated with weight gain, little is known about the effect of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) use on short-term weight gain. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether ICSs would be associated with weight gain among asthmatic patients. Methods. A total of 180 adult patients with physician-diagnosed asthma provided details of their medical history and demographic information, along with height and weight at baseline and at one year. Weight change was defined as follow-up minus baseline weight. General linear models were used to assess the relationship between ICS dose (fluticasone propionate equivalent) and sex. Results. Significant main effects of sex (P=.005) and ICS dose (P=.036) and an interaction effect of sex and ICS dose (P=.003) on weight change were observed. Further analysis of the interaction indicated that women had greater weight gain, while men had decreased weight with increased ICS dose. Conclusions. Findings suggest that ICSs may trigger weight gain in females and highlight the need for studies to confirm this relationship and examine the potential underlying mechanisms.

Interjoint Coordination and the Personal Lift-Assist Device

It has been suggested that interjoint coordination may serve to reduce joint stress and muscular demand and to maintain balance during dynamic lifting tasks, thus having implications for safe lifting practices. Before recommending the use of an on-body ergonomic aid, the Personal Lift-Assist Device (PLAD), it is important to determine any effects this device may have on interjoint coordination. Principal component analyses were applied to relative phase angle waveforms, defining the hip-knee and lumbar spine-hip coordination of 15 males and 15 females during a repetitive lifting task. When wearing the PLAD, users lifted with more synchronous hip-knee and lumbar spine-hip coordination patterns (P < .01). Furthermore, increases in load caused less synchronized interjoint coordination at both the hip-knee and lumbar spine-hip during the up and down phases of the lift (P < .01) for all conditions. No significant main effects of sex or significant interactions were observed on any of the outcome variables.

Sexual Dimorphism in Healthy Aging and Mild Cognitive Impairment: A DTI Study

Previous PET and MRI studies have indicated that the degree to which pathology translates into clinical symptoms is strongly dependent on sex with women more likely to express pathology as a diagnosis of AD, whereas men are more resistant to clinical symptoms in the face of the same degree of pathology. Here we use DTI to investigate the difference between male and female white matter tracts in healthy older participants (24 women, 16 men) and participants with mild cognitive impairment (21 women, 12 men). Differences between control and MCI participants were found in fractional anisotropy (FA), radial diffusion (DR), axial diffusion (DA) and mean diffusion (MD). A significant main effect of sex was also reported for FA, MD and DR indices, with male control and male MCI participants having significantly more microstructural damage than their female counterparts. There was no sex by diagnosis interaction. Male MCIs also had significantly less normalised grey matter (GM) volume than female MCIs. However, in terms of absolute brain volume, male controls had significantly more brain volume than female controls. Normalised GM and WM volumes were found to decrease significantly with age with no age by sex interaction. Overall, these data suggest that the same degree of cognitive impairment is associated with greater structural damage in men compared with women.