Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Premenstrual syndrome – Physiological aspects'

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a term used to describe a number of symptoms affecting women approximately two weeks prior to menstruation, and ceasing with the onset of menstrual flow. The general physiological and psychological adaptations to training suggest that physical activity could lessen some PMS symptoms. Therefore, the purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to compare the number of PMS symptoms of intercollegiate athletes with those of sedentary college age women, and 2) to determine if training reduced the severity of PMS symptoms in a group of previously sedentary women.In study #1, a PMS questionnaire was distributed to female athletes representing six teams (n=92), and sedentary female athletes (n=47) at Ball State University. A one-way analysis of variance revealed that there was no significant difference (p>.05) in occurance of symptoms between the athletes and the sedentary females.In study #2, 13 sedentary women (X age= 34.6 + 1.9) suffering from PMS, participated in a four month study to determine if training would reduce the severity of their PMS symptoms. Eight women comprised the training group, and participated in 30-40 minutes of aerobic exercise four times per week. The control group consisted of five women who remained inactive. A correlated t-test revealed a significant increase (p<.Ol) in maximal oxygen uptake and a significant decrease (p<.Ol) in PMS symptoms after four months of activity in the experimental treatment group. The control group showed no significant changes (p>.05) in maximal oxygen uptake or PMS symptoms during the four months of the investigation. Based on the data from this study, it was concluded that women with PMS have significant decreases in mood swings, appetite, cravings for sweets, breast tenderness, anxiety and depression after training.

Throughout the 20th Century, female operatic singers in most of the major European opera houses were given “grace days” (where they were not required to sing) in recognition of the effect of hormonal changes on the singing voice. Financial constraints in professional companies have resulted in a reduction of such considerations, but to date, there has been no systematic study of the effects of hormonal fluctuations on the quality of the female singing voice, or of its potential adverse effects on the vocal apparatus for singers who are affected by pre-menstrual syndrome. This study investigated the effects of hormonal fluctuations on young professional female classical singers. Female and male professional singers in training (students) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney, were asked to participate as volunteers in the study by keeping daily diaries. The female singers kept a diary for two separate months beginning on the first day of menstruation, in which they recorded their daily basal temperature, mood, voice state and physical well being. The male control subjects kept daily diaries for one month. Acoustic analysis of two vocal samples taken during the second month, on days 1 and 14 of the cycle, were completed on the six most severely affected female subjects, who were identified through their diary ratings of changes in vocal quality during menstruation. The selected students assessed their own vocal samples, presented in random order, to determine whether they could reliably identify which of their samples were affected by menstruation. Vocal staff at the Conservatorium (pedagogues), who were blind to the purpose of the study, also assessed recordings presented randomly. Results indicated that self-perceived vocal quality varied over the course of the menstrual cycle, particularly during the first seven days of the cycle, that negative changes in mood affected the voice, and that fatigue, effort, hoarseness, weakness & peak performance were the most frequently affected vocal states. A surprising finding was that male self-perceived voice quality also varied over the course of one month of diary keeping. There was no consistent change in direction of scores during menstrual and non-menstrual phases. Five of the six most affected singers correctly identified their performance during menstruation but pedagogues were not consistently able to do so.. These results indicate that perceived quality of the voice through changes in the menstrual cycle may not be as obvious to a highly trained observer even though they were reliably perceived by the singer. This study demonstrates that menstruation has a discernible impact on the self-perception of female singers’ vocal quality and implies that the premenstrual or menstrual female may not feel able to present her peak performance at these times of hormonal fluctuation. Further detailed research in this area may be warranted on a larger scale to elaborate a more precise clinical management of the problem.

Master of Music
Throughout the 20th Century, female operatic singers in most of the major European opera houses were given “grace days” (where they were not required to sing) in recognition of the effect of hormonal changes on the singing voice. Financial constraints in professional companies have resulted in a reduction of such considerations, but to date, there has been no systematic study of the effects of hormonal fluctuations on the quality of the female singing voice, or of its potential adverse effects on the vocal apparatus for singers who are affected by pre-menstrual syndrome. This study investigated the effects of hormonal fluctuations on young professional female classical singers. Female and male professional singers in training (students) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney, were asked to participate as volunteers in the study by keeping daily diaries. The female singers kept a diary for two separate months beginning on the first day of menstruation, in which they recorded their daily basal temperature, mood, voice state and physical well being. The male control subjects kept daily diaries for one month. Acoustic analysis of two vocal samples taken during the second month, on days 1 and 14 of the cycle, were completed on the six most severely affected female subjects, who were identified through their diary ratings of changes in vocal quality during menstruation. The selected students assessed their own vocal samples, presented in random order, to determine whether they could reliably identify which of their samples were affected by menstruation. Vocal staff at the Conservatorium (pedagogues), who were blind to the purpose of the study, also assessed recordings presented randomly. Results indicated that self-perceived vocal quality varied over the course of the menstrual cycle, particularly during the first seven days of the cycle, that negative changes in mood affected the voice, and that fatigue, effort, hoarseness, weakness & peak performance were the most frequently affected vocal states. A surprising finding was that male self-perceived voice quality also varied over the course of one month of diary keeping. There was no consistent change in direction of scores during menstrual and non-menstrual phases. Five of the six most affected singers correctly identified their performance during menstruation but pedagogues were not consistently able to do so.. These results indicate that perceived quality of the voice through changes in the menstrual cycle may not be as obvious to a highly trained observer even though they were reliably perceived by the singer. This study demonstrates that menstruation has a discernible impact on the self-perception of female singers’ vocal quality and implies that the premenstrual or menstrual female may not feel able to present her peak performance at these times of hormonal fluctuation. Further detailed research in this area may be warranted on a larger scale to elaborate a more precise clinical management of the problem.

Nursing is developing a science for explaining our interventions_ Hormones play a vital role in the female response pattern and that must be assessed in order for nursing to justify its actions. This descriptive design studied 30 women between the ages of 30 and 45 examining psychiatric addmissions and premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Two hypotheses were considered: 1) There is no difference in the incidence of admission to psychiatric facilities of women for depression, schizophrenia, or other psychiatric crises during the paramenstruum of their menstrual cycle and 2) There is no difference in the incidence of premenstrual syndrome symptoms among women admitted to psychiatric facilities during their paramenstruum.Data was obtained by questionnaire and chart review. The nominal data was analyzed using chi-square. No significant results were found statistically. The practical significance of the study is that 20 of the 30 women were admitted during their paramenstruum.
School of Nursing

It is now over twenty years since the criminal trials of two women caught the attention of the British media. Sandra Craddock (later Smith) and Christine English both raised a successful defence of diminished responsibility based on premenstrual syndrome to a murder charge. In these cases the Court of Appeal apparently determined that PMS is a factor that can limit criminal responsibility. Although this thesis concentrates on the situation as it exists in English law, many of its conclusions are equally relevant to other legal systems, particularly those in common law jurisdictions.
The issues that are likely to arise in a criminal trial in which a defendant wishes to base a substantive defence on premenstrual syndrome can be condensed into five central questions: (i) Does premenstrual syndrome exist at all? (ii) If so, does the defendant suffer from the condition? (iii) Did PMS cause or contribute to the defendant's actions? (iv) If the answer to (iii) is yes, should the act be excused? (v) If so, under what category of excuse? This thesis will discuss the way in which these questions might best be approached. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

The validity of the Premenstrual Assessment Form (PAF) typological category "Major Depressive Syndrome", as a distinct subtype of premenstrual change, was assessed. The nature of the depression associated with the premenstrual phase was investigated with standardized measures of depression and a test of dysphoric attentional bias derived from Beck's cognitive model of depression. Three subject groups were delineated based on prospective daily ratings: PMD (depression only premenstrually), controls (no depression), and INTD (intermittent depression throughout cycle). The control group did not exhibit a dysphoric attentional bias. The INTD group demonstrated a dysphoric attentional bias both pre- and postmenstrually. The PMD group, despite clinically elevated premenstrual depression levels, failed to show an associated dsyphoric attentional bias. These findings suggest that although PMD and clinical depression share an affective component, they may differ with regard to other features of depression (i.e. cognitive/information processing). As well, phenomenological differences between PMD and clinical depression were suggested by subjects' prospective daily ratings. For confirmed PMD subjects, depressive mood was only one facet of a multidimensional symptom picture which included signs of water retention, breast pain, fatigue, irritability, anxiety, and associated dysmenorrhea. These findings raise questions concerning the construct validity of premenstrual depression (specifically PAF Major Depressive Syndrome) as a distinctive subtype of premenstrual change.

Many women reporting PMS symptoms state their symptoms affect their mood, social, and family functioning. This study attempted to provide clinicians with information to assist in psychotherapeutic intervention, by determining the effect PMS has on marital satisfaction. Nineteen female subjects reporting PMS symptoms and their partners completed the study. The Marital Satisfaction Inventory - Revised (MSI-R) and the Moos Menstrual Distress Questionnaire-Form T (MDQ-form T) were used to determine if the nineteen couples reported marital distress as a result of the women's cyclical premenstrual symptoms. The results of the study suggested that the women and their partners, report high levels of marital distress that is not reflective of the cyclical nature of the PMS symptomatology. Scores on the MSI-R for the subjects and their partners indicated the couples perceived level of distress in the t-50 to t-70 range on scales 3-8 is consistent throughout the menstrual cycle. The couples reported higher levels of marital distress than would be the expected norm, suggesting that PMS may be a contributing factor to the level of distress they reported experiencing. This study did not include a control group, which would have provided a norm for couples who do not report PMS by which to compare the MSI-R scores.

Changes in mood, behavior, and physiology, beginning in the post-ovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle and ending with the onset of menstruation, have been called premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, and have been the focus of much investigation. Research to date has demonstrated greater emotional arousal and distress experienced by women during the luteal phase of the cycle as opposed to the follicular phase. This study collected descriptive profiles of current mood states, physiological symptoms, and menstrual cycle information from 62 women on the day on which they presented to a university counseling center for psychological services. It was hypothesized that a larger proportion of individuals would present on a walk-in basis for intake during the luteal phase of the cycle as opposed to the follicular phase. This hypothesis was tested with Chi-Square analysis of differences in frequency of subjects in each of the two phase groups. The second hypothesis was that individuals in the luteal phase would display higher levels of mood disturbance (as measured by the Profile of Mood States and the Beck Depression Inventory) and somatic symptomatology (as measured by the Menstrual Cycle Symptom Scale),than individuals in the follicular phase. This hypothesis was tested using multiple regression analysis, using affective and somatic variables as predictors of cycle day. Post hoc analyses for differences between menstrual phase groups on the affective variables were performed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA).The results of this study indicated no relationship between menstrual cycle phase and self-presentation for counseling services. They also indicated no relationship between menstrual cycle day and either subjective distress or somatic symptomatology. Finally, with minor exceptions, no differences were found between menstrual cycle phase groups in their self-perceived distress or emotional states.Discrepancies between the results of this study and previous research were discussed. In particular, methodological differences (e.g., use of state vs trait measures of mood variables) highlight the poor design and generalizability of previous research. Suggestions for future studies were presented as well as limiting factors in this study. These include the need for a larger number of participants and the use of hematologic cross-checks to more precisely determine cycle phase. Investigations into the way in which menstrual cycle affects mood are warranted.
Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

Two studies are presented which investigated the relationship between oral contraceptives (o.c.s) and premenstrual changes in mood and physical state. The retrospective pilot study examined possible differences in symptom-reporting between groups of pill-users and non-users. Women using o.c.s had lower severity scores on a number of physical and mood-related symptoms compared to non-users. In the prospective study, eighty-two women with complaints of moderate to severe premenstrual symptoms were recruited for a double-blind, controlled trial of a triphasic o.c. Subjects made daily ratings of symptoms for one to two baseline cycles and were then randomly assigned to receive either placebo or the o.c. for three treatment cycles. Prospective assessment of symptoms was made using a variety of measures, and circulating levels of estrogen and progesterone were measured at three points during the cycle. Bloating and breast pain showed a greater reduction in the o.c. group than in the placebo group. In a subgroup of women with premenstrual depressive change, the o.c. also produced greater improvement in a number of symptoms compared to placebo. For all other symptoms, there was no beneficial effect of the active treatment over placebo. Women who received o.c.s reported decreased sexual interest after starting the pill. Possible hormonal mechanisms for these effects are discussed.

A treatment outcome study was conducted comparing a low-fat diet intervention with an education-support group and a waiting-list control group in the treatment of premenstrual tension syndrome (PMS) or Late Luteal Phase Dysphoric Disorder (LLPDD). Subjects met provisional diagnostic criteria for LLPDD and symptoms were monitored prospectively. A low-fat diet was hypothesized too be an effective intervention for reducing the severity of both physical and emotional symptoms in women suffering from LLPDD. This was based on the theory relating raised estrogen levels to premenstrual distress, and research suggesting low-fat diets reduce estrogen levels. The hypothesis that a low-fat diet would decrease premenstrual suffering was not supported by the results of this study. However, there appeared to be an advantage to participating in a group which provided support and information on LLPDD compared to receiving no treatment. Implications for future research, treatment recommendations, and methodological issues are discussed.
Ph. D.

The goal of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a marital systems approach to the treatment of women with self-referred premenstrual syndrome. The first purpose of the study was to identify any significant differences on the Global Distress Scale of the Marital Satisfaction Inventory and the Causal Dimension Scale between (PMS+) and (PMS-) married couples before and after marital treatment. The second purpose of the study was to determine any significant differences on dependent measures of averaged marital ratings between (PMS+) and (PMS-) wives during thecycle ratings between (PMS+) and (PMS-) wives.Nine married couples participated in a group comparison study through Community Hospitals of Indianapolis, Indiana. The study was conducted in two phases, including a three month assessment phase followed by a two month treatment phase. Four married couples whose wives met the DSM-III-R's diagnostic criteria for Late Luteal Phase Dysphoric Disorder were included in the (PMS+) group. Five married couples whose wives did not meet the diagnostic criteria for LLPDD were included in the (PMS-) comparison group.Statistical analyses revealed significant time effects; assessment and treatment purpose of the study was differences on dependent phase of the study. The third to identify any significant measures of averaged menstrual no three-way or two-way interactive effects for any of the three hypotheses. The results clinically support the notion of treating marriages with PMS versus solely treating women with PMS. Regardless of whether wives prospectively confirmed premenstrual symptoms, treatment involving the marriage impacted menstrual cycle symptom ratings and perceptions of the marriage positively.
Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

Cholecystokinin, or "CCK" peptides, originally identified in the gastrointestinal tract, are now considered to be one of the most abundant peptide systems in the mammalian central nervous system. Prompted by recent findings that implicated the cholecystokinergic system in the pathophysiology of various illnesses, we developed a novel assay system to measure the various forms of cholecystokinin peptides in human plasma and cerebrospinal fluid. The system detects CCK-4, sulfated CCK-8 (CCK-8s) and nonsulfated CCK-8 (CCK-8ns) with equal affinity, with the lower detection limit of 2.7 fmol and an ED50 of 10.6 +/- 2.2 fmol. Using the assay system, we determined that mean CCK-like immunoreactivity (CCK-LI) in the plasma of 12 healthy subjects was 12.9 +/- 2.1 pM CCK-4 equivalents.
After developing the cholecystokinin assay system, we were able to combine our unique methodology with other established techniques to investigate the role of CCK in illnesses such as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), anxiety, bulimia nervosa, and cardiomyopathy.
Briefly, we observed no significant differences in plasma CCK levels between women with PMDD and healthy volunteers. However, we found that, independent of diagnosis, plasma cholecystokinin concentrations were higher in women during their first visit to the clinic to participate in the study, as compared to later visits.
In addition, application of our assay system allowed us to determine that oral ingestion of caffeine increased plasma CCK-LI levels 2--4 fold in humans. Moreover, we observed substantial variation in post-caffeine cholecystokinin levels among individuals.
In another study of cholecystokinin and anxiety, we used our CCK assay to determine the effects of ondansetron, a serotonin receptor antagonist, on cholecystokinin levels in plasma. We found that multiple oral doses of ondansetron influence the pharmacokinetic parameters of exogenous CCK.
We also used the three-step assay system to measure CCK-LI in patients with the eating disorder, bulimia nervosa. Baseline fasted cholecystokinin plasma levels were lower in bulimic women as compared to control subjects. However, at "satiety", or the post-binge stage, CCK levels in bulimic women were similar to those of control women.
Finally, our investigation into the role of cholecystokinin in cardiomyopathy revealed that neuronal cholecystokinin receptor density was altered in the cardiomyopathic hamster brain, as compared to age- and sex-matched control animals. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

The experiments reported in the present dissertation investigated the contribution of the mammillary region to several classes of learning and memory: spatial memory, nonspatial memory, and conditioned aversion learning. It was demonstrated that such lesions impair performance on tasks that require memory for spatial information but that the deficit depends on both the amount of damage within the region as well as the degree of difficulty of the task. A dissociation in the effect of such lesions on performance of comparable spatial and nonspatial memory tasks was shown. In contrast to the severe deficits observed on spatial memory tasks, the acquisition and retention of a complex nonspatial memory task was not impaired after extensive damage to the mammillary region. Such lesions also did not impair performance on two conditioned aversion tasks. These experiments suggest that the mammillary region may be selectively involved in spatial learning and memory. The relevance of these findings to Korsakoff's syndrome is discussed.

Ultraviolet radiation causes an alteration in DNA by modifying neighboring thymine bases resulting in the formation of a dimer. These dimers block the processes of transcription and translation and ultimately no protein is synthesized and the cell dies. However, DNA repair mechanisms correct this damage by excising the dimer from the DNA strand and inserting replacement bases which are joined to the original strand by DNA ligase. This allows transcription to resume and ultimately protein synthesis to take place.This research focused on determining the DNA damage and subsequent repair levels in a connective tissue disorder, namely Marfan syndrome. This information is important in understanding the clinical expression and management of life threatening conditions in Marfan syndrome individuals.Preliminary results indicate that at 20-25J/m2 UV dose (254nm) Marfan syndrome skin cells show a mean reduced survival value of 12% compared to normal human skin cells. Gel electrophoresis indicates a reduced DNA repair level 24h post UV irradiation for Marfan syndrome skin cells compared to normal human skin cells. These results suggest Marfan syndrome skin cells have reduced survival and DNA repair levels compared to normal human skin cells.
Department of Biology

The usefulness of frontal lobe (FL) dysfunction as a conceptual model for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) was investigated. Twenty-four ADHD and 24 normal control (NC) children were tested using tasks sensitive to FL deficits in motor control and problem solving skills and memory tasks sensitive to temporal lobe (TL) dysfunction. ADHD children differed significantly from NCs on measures of FL function, but not on tests of TL functions. Wherever norms were available for normal children on the same FL tests, ADHD subjects performed like 6 to 7 year olds, in spite of their mean age of 10 years and minimum age of 8 years. The differential performance of ADHD children on tasks sensitive to FL and TL damage supports the conceptualization of ADHD deficits as analogous to FL dysfunction and implies that deficits are not explained by reference to generalized impairment.

Thesis (MTech (Environmental Health))--Peninsula Technikon, Cape Town, 2004
AIM &; OBJECTIVES: a) To quantify human vibration exposnres among the various similar occupational groups present on the mine, b) To determine the degree of vibration risk posed onto the mineworkers and c) To recommend and implement a sustainable human vibration management control progranune. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional descriptive study design was carried out on 135 mine workers employed in various similar occupational groups at Rossing Uranium mine, Namibia Data acquisition originated from a multi-stage proportionally stratified random sampling technique. An approved Human Vibration measuring instrument was utilized to measure Hand-arm and Wholebcdy vibration exposure levels [Aeq (m/s2 )] prevalent among the similar exposure groups. A structured questionnaire, developed specifically for the actual work environment enabled the collection of information such as work history, type of vibration exposure, exposure duration and vibration symptoms. Furthermore, group specific results [A(8)] were computed by means of the latest internationally accepted Health & Safety Executive Vibration calculators. In addition, statistical analyses were performed in order to establish the occupational groups that are at increased risk for the development of hand-arm and wholebody vibration induced health disorders.

Thesis (PhD (Physiological Sciences))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011.
Includes bibliography.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Genetic screening to improve obesity treatment outcomes is available despite the lack of conclusive evidence, specifically for Caucasian South Africans, in this regard. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between genotype (seven polymorphisms) and body mass index (BMI), health and lifestyle indicators in a cross-sectional sample of overweight/obese Caucasian adults (n=133), as well as the association between genotype and weight loss outcomes following an intervention (n=88) using a quasi experimental study design (time-series). The intervention consisted of a 24-week conservative weight loss programme that included dietary, physical activity and behavioural components. The primary null hypothesis for the cross-sectional sample, namely that there is no association between genotype and BMI, has not been rejected. A number of the secondary/exploratory hypotheses were rejected of which the most plausible associations (based on support by the literature and a physiological basis for the findng) are: 1) the mutant TT homozygotes of the GNB3 C825T polymorphism may have a higher risk to develop the metabolic syndrome (MetS) as they had significantly higher fasting triglyceride and glucose levels, a higher number of traits that met the diagnostic cut-off criteria for MetS and higher number of these subjects was diagnosed with MetS compared to the wild-type C-allele carriers; and 2) subjects with mutant alleles of either the FTO rs1421085 or rs17817449 polymorphisms may have poorer eating behaviours (a higher rigid control, habitual and emotional disinhibition, perceived hunger and internal locus for hunger) and higher intake of high-fat foods. The primary null hypothesis for the intervention sample, namely that there is no association between genotype and weight loss outcome, was not rejected for the FABP2 Ala54Thr, INSIG2 rs7566605, FTO rs1421085, ADRB3 Trp64Arg and GNB3 C825T polymorphisms. However, it was rejected in some instances indicating the following associations: 1) The wild-type TT homozygotes of the FTO rs17817449 polymorphism lost significantly more weight during the first two months of the program compared to the mutant allele carriers (this is a novel finding); 2) The wild-type Arg16Arg homozygotes of the ADRB2 Arg16Gly polymorphism lost significantly more weight during the first month of the program compared to the mutant allele carriers (this finding is supported by one other intervention study); 3) Subjects with a mutant C-allele of the INSIG2 rs7566605 polymorphism and a mutant Gly16-allele of the ADRB2 Arg16Gly polymorphism lost significantly less weight over the six month intervention period (this is a novel genegene interaction finding). A number of secondary/exploratory hypotheses were rejected, of which the most plausible finding include that the improvement in emotional disinhibition in the wild-type TT subjects of the FTO rs1421085 polymorphism was associated with a more pronounced decrease in BMI over the six month weight loss period. The integration of the results from this study with the literature indicates that there is insufficient evidence at this stage for genetic screening of the polymorphisms investigated in this study and the provision of evidence-based personalized recommendations for weight loss in obese individuals. It is recommended that these associations should be viewed as priority in future research.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Genetiese sifting om die resultate van vetsug behandeling te verbeter is beskikbaar ten spyte van ‘n tekort aan genoegsame bewyse, spesifiek ten opsigte van Kaukasiërs van Suid-Afrika. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die assosiasie tussen genotipe (sewe polimorfismes) en liggaamsmassa indeks (LMI), gesondheid en lewenstyl indikatore in ‘n dwarssnit (cross-sectional) steekproef van oorgewig/vetsugtige Kaukasiër volwassenes (n=133) te ondersoek, asook die assosiasie tussen genotipe en gewigsverlies uitkomste na afloop van ‘n intervensie (n=88) in ‘n kwasi-eksperimentele studie ontwerp (tydreeks). Die intervensie het bestaan uit ‘n 24-week konserwatiewe gewigsverlies program met dieet, fisieke aktiwiteit en gedragskomponente. Die primêre nul hipotese vir die dwarsnit steekproef, naamlik dat daar geen assosiasie tussen genotipe en LMI is nie, is nie verwerp nie. ‘n Aantal sekondêre/spekulatiewe hipotesis is verwerp waarvan die mees geloofwaardige assosiasies (gebasseer op ondersteuning van die literatuur en ‘n fisiologiese basis vir die bevinding) die volgende insluit: 1) die mutante TT homosigote van die GNB3 C825T polimorfisme het moontlik ‘n hoër risiko vir die ontwikkeling van die metaboliese sindroom (MetS) aangesien hulle betekenisvolle hoër vastende trigliseriede en glukose vlakke gehad het, ‘n grooter aantal kenmerke gehad het wat aan die diagnostiese afsnykriteria vir MetS voldoen en ‘n grooter aantal van hierdie persone was met MetS gediagnoseer in vergelyking met die wilde-tipe C-alleel draers; en 2) persone met die mutante allele van die FTO rs1421085 of rs17817449 polimorfismes het moontlik ‘n swakker eetgedrag (‘n hoër rigiede kontrole, gewoonte en emosionele disinhibisie, waarneembare honger en interne lokus van honger) en ‘n hoër inname van hoë-vet voedsel. Die primêre nul hipotese vir die intervensie steekproef, naamlik dat daar geen assosiasie tussen genotipe en gewigsverlies uitkomste is nie, is nie vir die FABP2 Ala54Thr, INSIG2 rs7566605, FTO rs1421085, ADRB3 Trp64Arg en GNB3 C825T polimorfismes verwerp nie. Dit was egter in sommige gevalle vir die volgende assosiasies verwerp: 1) Die wilde-tipe TT homosigote van die FTO rs17817449 polimorfisme het betekenisvol meer gewig in die eerste twee maande van die program verloor in vergelyking met die mutante alleel draers (dit is ‘n nuwe bevinding); 2) Die wilde-tipe Arg16Arg homosigote van die ADRB2 Arg16Gly polimorfisme het betekenisvol meer gewig gedurende die eerste maand van die program verloor in vergelyking met die mutante alleel draers (hierdie bevinding word ondersteun deur een ander intervensie studie); 3) Persone met ‘n mutante C-alleel van die INSIG2 rs7566605 polimorfisme en ‘n mutante Gly16-allele van die ADRB2 Arg16Gly polimorfisme het minder gewig tydens die ses maande intervensie periode verloor (dit is ‘n nuwe geen-geen interaksie bevinding). ‘n Aantal sekondêre/ spekulatiewe hipoteses is verwerp, waarvan die mees geloofwaardigste bevinding insluit dat ‘n verbetering in emosionele disinhibisie van die wild-tipe TT persone van die FTO rs1421085 polimorfisme geassosieer was met ‘n meer prominente daling in LMI oor die ses maande gewigsverlies periode. Die integrasie van die resultate van hierdie navorsing met die literatuur dui aan dat daar op hierdie stadium onvoldoende bewyse vir genetiese sifting en die voorsiening van bewys-gebasseerde persoonlike aanbevelings vir gewigsverlies in vetsugtig individue bestaan vir die polimorfismes wat ondersoek is. Dit word aanbeveel dat hierdie assosiasies as prioriteit in toekomstige navorsing beskou moet word.

M.A.
Irritable bowel syndrome [IBS] has been described as a chronic relapsing condition, characterised by a change in bowel habit and abdominal pain, that cannot be explained by an organic disease. Some research indicates that IBS may be psychogenic in origin, however, the aetiology of this complex syndrome is still unclear. Some researchers have postulated that IBS is primarily a motility disorder of the gut, while others have indicated that the symptoms of IBS are mediated by the central nervous system. Thus it is not surprising that the care of patients with IBS poses a particular challenge to physicians, especially because of its biologic and symptomatic heterogeneity and, particularly for patients with refractory symptoms, its association with psychological disturbances. The literature study indicates that there that there may be a possible connection between the ingestive disorders, the menstrual cycle fluctuations associated with premenstrual dysphoric disorder and IBS. All three of these disorders also appear to be mediated, to some extent, by the neurotransmitter serotonin. In terms of these suggested correlations one of the aims of this study was to determine whether blood-serotonin levels significantly influence the symptomatology of IBS. Extensive literature exists documenting the potential role that serotonin plays in gastrointestinal functioning. However, none of the existing studies refer specifically to blood-serotonin levels. Thus the present study attempted to address this problem. A second aim of the present study was to determine the possible serotonergic connection in the ingestive disorders and premenstrual dysphoric disorder in women with IBS. All the subjects were required to go for a blood test in order to determine whether their serotonin levels were low, normal, or high. In addition, three self-report questionnaires were used in this investigation. The Irritable Bowel Syndrome Client Questionnaire; The Eating Disorder Inventory -2, of which four subscales out of 11 subscales were included, namely the Drive for Thinness, Bulimia, Body Dissatisfaction and Introceptive Awareness subscales; and the Premenstrual Assessment Form, of which six subscales out of 18 were included, namely Endogenous Depressive Features, Atypical Depressive Features, Signs of water Retention, General Physical Discomfort, Autonomic Physical Changes and Miscellaneous Physical Changes. In order to address the above mentioned aims, research was conducted at the Research and Counselling Centre for Psychogastroenterology at the Rand Afrikaans University. The Research and Counselling Centre for Psychogastroenterology is a facility developed to investigate the psychological constituents of IBS. Researchers at the centre are aiming to explore the multidimensional components of IBS with the purpose of gaining some understanding into the development and maintenance of this syndrome. A variety of topics are being investigated at the Research and Counselling Centre for Psychogastroenterology, including the role that stress, depression and coping styles play in IBS. Initially a sample group of (N = 60) women with IBS were selected for this research from a population of South Africans who were referred from gastroenterologists and general practitioners to the Centre for Gastroenterology at the Rand Afrikaans University. A number of women (N = 40) without IBS, from the north eastern suburbs of Johannesburg, were also asked to participate in this study in order to compile the comparison group.

The aim of the study was to assess specific psychological aspects of the premenstrual syndrome, such as stress, attitudes towards menstruation, and past history of psychosomatic illnesses. Thirteen PMS subjects, were compared with 8 control subjects, who reported only minimal or no premenstrual symptoms. In comparison to controls, PMS subjects regarded menstruation as significantly more debilitating. No significant differences were found between the groups in levels of stress. However, the PMS group evidenced a significantly greater tendency to react to emotional stress, with overcontrol, i.e. the need to control and suppress emotions. In addition, the PMS group evidenced a significantly greater history of psychosomatic illnesses, than controls. Finally, there was a significant group reduction in symptom severity, within the PMS group, over the two month period of daily monitoring of symptoms. The results of this study suggest that certain psychological factors may be implicated in premenstrual symptom severity.
Psychology
M.A. (Social Science (Psychology))

This dissertation explored factors related to heterosexual women's use of the label "PMS" and the question of why so many women who say that they have PMS do not meet prospectively-based researcher criteria. Participants were recruited through Vancouver city newspapers and posters for a study of emotional, behavioural, and health patterns. They were screened for hysterectomies, ovariectomies, pregnancy, and chronic illnesses. The 58 women in this study (mean age=34.5) provided daily prospective data over a mean of 15 weeks for 15 variables representing 4 different types of symptoms: mood, relationship, concentration and work performance, and physical and activity symptom types. At the beginning of the study, they completed the Beck Depression Inventory. During a final interview they completed various questionnaires regarding romantic relationships, stress, history of abuse, and attitudes toward menstruation. During her final interview, each woman was asked whether she had ever had PMS and, if so, what she believed caused it. Only 16% of the women met researcher-designated criteria for PMS and 9% met researcher-criteria for PDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, APA, 1994), but 60% believed that they currently had PMS. There was very little match between researcher-designations and self-designations for any of the 15 prospective variables. Instead, consistent with schematic theories of PMS, it was women's attitudes toward menstruation that were most strongly related to self-designation. Women who said that they currently had PMS were more likely to view menstruation as debilitating, natural, and predictable. They had higher depression scores and reported more frequent and enduring experiences of anger. More of these women reported having been emotionally abused as an adult, emotionally abused as a child, and physically abused by a past or current romantic partner. Although women who said that they had never had PMS perceived menstruation as more bothersome, they believed that women should be able to ignore it. Current-Say and Never-Say women did not significantly differ for other forms of abuse, partner satisfaction, or daily uplifts. Daily hassles did not reach statistical significance at the multivariate level, but univariate significance indicated that Never-Say women might experience fewer daily hassles than Current-Say women. The prospective data were analyzed idiographically using prediction analyses. Current-Say women demonstrated more uncharacteristic cyclicity during the midcycle phase across the 15 variables and 4 symptom types. Never-Say women showed more uncharacteristic cyclicity during the postmenstrual phase. No differences were found for other phases. These findings, and other results, argue against the use of simple premenstrual-postmenstrual and premenstrual-intermenstrual difference measures in diagnosing PMS or PDD. It was concluded that, although the women's self-designations did not match their prospective data, they could not be explained simply as a mislabelling of negative cyclicity in other phases. There was also mixed evidence for the hypothesis that women's reports of having "PMS" were part of a generalized over-reporting of symptomatology or dissatisfaction. Possible explanations for women's self-designations are discussed, including schematic representations of both menstruation and general illness and a "contrast hypothesis" modified from the version proposed by McFarlane and Williams (1994). This contrast hypothesis suggests that cyclical changes occurring during a particular non-premenstrual phase are related to women's self-designations according to (a) the timing of these changes relative to the visible and salient menses, in conjunction with (b) their attitudes toward menstruation. Close to half (45%) the women who said that they had experienced PMS attributed their perceived PMS to a bidirectional model of physiology and environment, and 58% of the women saying that they had PMS believed that it happened occasionally rather than inevitably. Overall, the women's representations of menstrual cyclicity were neither simple reflections of cultural stereotypes nor pervasively negative, but rather diverse and complex. The results that link depression, anger, and specific forms of abuse to self-designations suggest that women saying that they have PMS are indicating difficulties that may or may not be menstrually-related. Researchers and other professionals need to assess the nature of those difficulties in women presenting with "PMS".

Bibliography: leaves 204-215.
xviii, 215, [14] leaves : ill. ; 30 cm.
Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library.
This study investigates the food consumption of overweight women over three menstrual cycles within a randomised double blind placebo controlled design. The aims of the study were: 1) to determine whether women identified as exhibiting PMS symptoms including increased appetite, have a preference for carbohydrate; 2) to determine if low brain levels of serotonin are involved in contributing to increased carbohydrate intake, and whether increasing the availablility of serotonin by using dexfenfluramine reduces total food intake or solely selectively reduces carbohydrate intake in women with PMS; 3) to determine whether there is a link between changes in food consumption, and the severuty of PMS symptoms.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of General Practice, 2003

D.Litt. et Phil.
Although PMS has been described almost since the beginning of the written history of medicine, it is still not completely understood. There are many theories about its causation and treatment, and a proliferation of symptoms are ascribed to it. The prevalence of PMS in relation to the total population is still unknown, because premenstrual symptoms or a combination of these range from almost 25% to 100% amongst women. Furthermore, different criteria for the assessment of the prevalence of PMS are used by different researchers. Researchers are in agreement, however, that no single definition for PMS exists. Some women experience mainly psychological symptoms, while others present predominantly physical symptoms. Very little is known of the prognosis of the natural history of PMS. The precise causes of menstrually-related distress is not known, although much has been written about the role that nutrition plays in PMS. A direct relationship has not been identified between individual levels of, and changes in, oestrogen and progesterone alone, and the reported psychological, behavioural and physical changes associated with the cycle. Certain observable behaviours are associated with the premenstrual phase of the cycle, such as aggressive and illness behaviour. An important aspect is the link between premenstrual changes and psychopathology, especially mood disorders. Many researchers report a positive association between premenstrual changes and mood disorders, especially depressive disorders. Women suffering from depressive disorders are reported to frequently experience a premenstrual exacerbation of symptoms and a deterioration in functioning. Most studies have found that women report both psychological and somatic symptoms. The psychological symptoms are, owever, more commonly reported and have also been found to be more distressing for women. In respect of aetiological theories, the literature shows a major subdivision between the biological causes and the psychological basis. Potential causes, according to a biological approach include abnormalities in gonadal steroids, excessive fluid retention, hypoglycemia, abnormalities in prostaglandin metabolism, allergy to endogenous hormones and endogenous opiate withdrawal. Research results in each of these areas are conflicting and conclusions reached are speculative. Most psychological aetiologies originate from the psychoanalytical school and include a rejection or resentment of the feminine role, as well as a repressed wish for a child. At present, the psychoanalytical theories have not been supported by controlled studies and, therefore, still remain speculative. The uncertainty of the causes of PMS is reflected in the numerous treatments proposed in the literature. A review of the literature shows that treatment for PMS is generally given indiscriminately for a divergent group of symptoms, without regard for the fact that growing evidence suggests that the Syndrome is made up of a variety of distinct, but related, symptoms. A girl's first menstruation is a developmental milestone with psychological and physiological concomitants. Adolescents of both sexes tend to view menstruation negatively. Many adolescents associate menstruation with dysmenorrhea. Studies have shown that up to 91% of girls report dysmenorrhea, and it is also the leading cause of recurrent short-term school absenteeism among adolescent girls. Dysmenorrhea cannot be ignored, as it leads to a loss in self-esteem, with all the accompanying problems. If an adolescent does not get help with her PMS symptoms, she may be negatively affected. The purpose of the present study was to cross-culturally investigate the psychological concomitants of the premenstrual symptomatology in adolescent girls. Four hypotheses were tested: In an analysis of symptoms associated with PMS, a single factor reflecting will emerge to account for a significant percentage of the variance observed; Dysmenorrhic adolescents will experience a greater number of negative premenstrual symptoms than non-dysmenorrhic adolescents; Adolescents experiencing a number of negative premenstrual symptoms will report lower self-esteem; Adolescents of different cultural groups will report PMS symptoms that are IV commensurate with their culturally-based health beliefs. In order to test these hypotheses, one hundred and twenty five adolescent girls of all race groups, between 13 and 18 years of age, who were not taking any contraceptive, participated in the study. The Premenstrual Assessment Form (PAF) and the Index of Self-Esteem (ISE) were used. Physical and emotional discomfort emerged as two clear interpretable factors. It would appear that for this sample, PMS is not a unitary phenomenon, but consists of dual factors which are depended on cultural expectations. By observing dysmenorrhic and nondysmenorrhic adolescent girls, it was found that dysmenorrhic girls manifested a significantly higher degree of low mood and loss of pleasure, "endogenous" depressive features, lability, "atypical" depressive features, hysteroid features, hostility and anger, social withdrawal, anxiety, impulsivity, organic mental features, general physical discomfort, water retention, autonomic physical changes, fatigue, impaired social functioning, impaired miscellaneous mood and behaviour changes and miscellaneous physical changes than non-dysmenorrhic girls. Non-dysmenorrhic girls showed a significantly higher degree of well-being when compared with dysmenorrhic girls. Thus, the present study supported the findings of previous research which suggested that dysmenorrhic girls will experience more negative premenstrual symptoms than nondysmenorrhic girls. In respect of self-esteem, girls reporting a number of negative premenstrual symptoms were found to have a lower self-esteem than those reporting fewer negative premenstrual symptoms. In respect of culture, it was found that culture seemed to play a role in the girls' perceived experiences of PMS. The present study indicates that adolescent girls do experience many negative symptoms and, if these are not adequately dealt with, they may adversely affect them in adulthood.

Body image concerns are a prominent issue among women, with detrimental consequences for mental health and well-being. Women’s body shame and body dissatisfaction is heightened during the premenstrual phase of the cycle, associated with premenstrual distress. Body management behaviours also fluctuate across the menstrual cycle, manifested by premenstrual food cravings and reduced exercise. However, the meaning and consequences of premenstrual body dissatisfaction and changes to body management remains underexplored. How women construct and negotiate negative premenstrual embodiment in relation to cultural discourse, and factors contributing to premenstrual body shame and dissatisfaction, require further examination. The purpose of the research presented in this thesis was to explore how women who report premenstrual body dissatisfaction construct and experience their premenstrual bodies. A mixed method design was employed, utilising a survey and the arts-based method body-mapping, followed by an interview. In the statistical analysis of standardised survey scales, body shame was associated with higher premenstrual distress and self-objectification. Self-objectification was associated with higher premenstrual emotional/reactivity. Women who reported disordered eating attitudes reported lower premenstrual distress, body shame and self-objectification. Thematic analysis of qualitative data identified that negative physical and emotional premenstrual changes were interrelated, associated with construction of the premenstrual body as abject, out of control, separate to the self, and to blame for women’s distress. Drawing on cultural discourse associated with feminine embodiment, constructions of the abject body as fat and leaking were associated with increased self-policing and body scrutiny. Premenstrual changes disrupted women’s usual strict management of their bodies, associated with negative feelings towards the premenstrual body and the self. Many women demonstrated agency and resistance of negative cultural discourses around premenstrual embodiment. Participants critiqued and challenged cultural discourses that negatively construct the premenstrual body, dressed for comfort rather than fashion premenstrually and took a break from restrictive eating and rigorous exercise practices during this phase. Findings of this thesis provide insight into women’s subjective experiences of negative premenstrual embodiment. These findings emphasize the need to acknowledge changes in body dissatisfaction and body management across the menstrual cycle, and the consequences for women’s feelings about the body and the self. The broader implications of these findings suggest that premenstrual body dissatisfaction is complex and multi-layered and plays a role in women’s premenstrual distress.

This thesis aimed to examine men’s constructions of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual women, and to explore how men’s constructions impact upon their responses to their partner premenstrually. This thesis also aimed to determine what impact a man’s involvement in a couple-based PMS intervention would have on such constructions and responses. Two qualitative studies were conducted, in which men’s accounts of PMS and premenstrual changes were examined. In the first study, men’s online posts from the website PMSbuddy.com were collected and analysed using a thematic discourse analysis. Results from this study showed that the majority of men positioned premenstrual change as having a detrimental impact upon themselves, their partner and their intimate relationship. Most men constructed the premenstrual phase and women’s premenstrual changes as confusing, complicated and illogical. To make sense of premenstrual change, men drew upon cultural discourses that positioned premenstrual change as a disorder necessitating treatment and premenstrual women as mad, bad and dangerous. Although some men positioned premenstrual change as a natural experience and acknowledged the importance of being empathetic and supportive to their partner premenstrually, such instances were scarce. In the second study, a Foucauldian discourse analysis was used to analyse in-depth interviews conducted with 12 male partners prior to, and following, their participation in a couple-based psychological intervention for moderate-severe premenstrual distress. Results from this study showed that men took up several subject positions in relation to their premenstrual partners, which included: the ‘Naïve Partner’, the ‘Expert’, the ‘Supportive Partner’, the ‘Critical Partner’, the ‘Victim’ and the ‘Knowledgeable Partner’. The majority of men who struggled to make sense of premenstrual change took up the Naïve Partner position. By contrast, a small number of men positioned themselves as ‘experts’ in relation to PMS, constructing premenstrual change as predictable and measurable. All but one of the men positioned their partner’s premenstrual changes as a source of strain in their lives, with a small number of men taking up the Victim position to emphasise their suffering and their unjust experiences. Most of these men also adopted the Critical Partner position, as they focused on the negative aspects of premenstrual change and positioned their partner’s premenstrual distress as disruptive and illegitimate. Following the men’s participation in the couple intervention, most men reported that the intervention helped them to develop an enriched understanding and awareness of their partner’s premenstrual experiences. Through this enriched understanding, men positively redefined their experiences with premenstrual change and further resisted the Victim and Critical Partner position. This resistance enabled men to adopt supportive practices that they claimed to help their partner better cope with premenstrual distress. These findings strengthen the notion that premenstrual change is experienced and negotiated within a relational context, and suggest a need for further research on the impact of partners’ constructions of PMS on women’s premenstrual distress and coping.

M.A. (Psychology)
Since Frank (1931) first published an article on premenstrual symptoms a considerable amount of research has been undertaken and published on the topic. Women have always been aware of experiencing certain intermittent physiological and psychological symptoms, but few have realised that these are often cyclical and relate to the menstrual cycle. In recent years there has been a move towards identifying these symptoms and seeking help and treatment in overcoming their sometimes debilitating effects. Previously women did not speak about their experiences and attributed them to various psychosocial stressors, but today women areacknowledging the fact that a syndrome or disorder does exist. This syndrome or disorder became known as the Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) (Dalton, 1984). More recently a classification for premenstrual symptoms has appeared under Appendix A of the' DSM III-R. This is the section that deals with proposed diagnostic categories needing further study. In this classification premenstrual symptoms are termed Late Luteal Phase Dysphoric Disorder (LLPDD)...

Research suggests that, in individuals with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), low plasma pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) concentrations are related to an increased incidence and severity of symptoms associated with CTS. This study was designed to determine the relationship between plasma and red blood cell PLP concentrations and the severity and incidence of CTS symptoms. Thirty people with CTS were selected for a 9 month exercise study. Subjects were divided into either vitamin users or non-vitamin users based on supplement use data gathered at the beginning of the study. Blood was drawn at 1, 6 and 9 months. CTS symptoms questionnaires and health questionnaires were also administered at these intervals. The symptoms questionnaires were used to gather data on the frequency and nature of hand and wrist symptoms. Health questionnaires focused on vitamin supplement usage including frequency, amount and length of use. Mean plasma PLP, total plasma vitamin B6 and erythrocyte PLP concentrations were significantly higher in the sixteen vitamin users when compared to the fourteen non-vitamin users (p<0.001). While there was variation in plasma PLP and total plasma vitamin B6 over time, within each group, there were no significant changes in any of the status measures over the nine month period. Mean erythrocyte PLP concentration, in particular, was stable over time. In vitamin users, the intensity of pain, numbness and tingling was significantly higher when compared to non-vitamin users. In both groups, plasma PLP was negatively correlated with pain. This correlation reached statistical significance in vitamin users at month one and nine (p<0.01), but not at month six; a statistically significant correlation between these two variables was not found in non-vitamin users at any time point. Pain was also negatively and significantly correlated with plasma total vitamin B6 and erythrocyte PLP in vitamin users. No other symptoms were significantly correlated with the status measures. These results indicate that a higher vitamin B6 status may be related to a decrease in the severity of pain experienced by some individuals with CTS.
Graduation date: 1998

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and abdominal obesity (AbOb) increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Energy restriction (ER), highprotein (PRO) intake and high-intensity interval training (HIT) can independently improve MetS and AbOb. However, ER reduces metabolically active lean body mass (LBM) in addition to body fat (BF). Purpose: To determine the effects of a 16-wk ER diet with 2 levels of PRO (15% or 25% of energy), plus HIT, on MetS risk factors, AbOb, and body composition in women. Methods: Sedentary, premenopausal women (age=35±10y) with AbOb (waist circumference [WC] ≥80cm) were randomized to a 16-wk ER diet (-300kcals/d) with 15% (15PRO; n=17) or 25% (25PRO; n=18) of energy from PRO, plus 45min/d, 3d/wk HIT and 45min/d, 2d/wk continuous moderate-intensity exercise (CME) (-200kcals/d). Diet and physical activity (PA) were assessed using 4-d weighed food and PA records, respectively; diet and exercise compliance were assessed monthly with multiple-pass 24-h recalls and weekly tracking logs. Body weight (BW), WC, DXA-assessed body composition (BF [%], BF [kg], trunk fat [kg], and LBM [kg]), blood lipids (total cholesterol [TC], high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], triglycerides [TG]), glycemic markers (fasting plasma glucose [FPG], insulin, and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance [HOMA-IR], beta cell function [HOMA-%β] and insulin sensitivity [HOMA-%S]) and resting blood pressure (BP) (systolic BP [SBP]; diastolic BP [DBP]) were assessed pre/post-intervention. Repeated measures analysis of variance and two sample t-tests were used at analyze the date. Results are reported as means±standard deviations. Results: There were significant time, but not group, differences in BW (-5.1±2.6kg, p=0.0141), WC (- 7.3±3.6cm, p<0.0001), TC (-18.1±17.4mg/dL, p<0.0001), LDL-C (12.2± 16.2mg/dL, p<0.0001), TG (-25.3±56.2mg/dL, p=0.0064), insulin (-2.1±4.2mg/dL, p=0.0048), HOMA-IR (-0.2±0.5, p=0.0062), HOMA-%β (-12.1±35.2%, p=0.0497), HOMA-%S (28.5±78.4%, p=0.0357), and SBP (-3±9mmHg, p=0.214). There were significant group x time differences in DBP (15PRO=-5±8mmHg, 25PRO=- 2±8mmHg; p=0.0024). There were no time or group differences in FPG or HDLC. There were significant time, but not group, effects on changes in BW (-5.1kg± 2.6, p<0.0001), BF (-3.3±1.6%, p<0.0001), and LBM (-0.6kg±1.5, p=0.0283). The 15PRO group lost more absolute whole BF (-5.2kg vs. -3.9kg, p=0.0355) and trunk fat (-3.1kg vs. -2.2kg) vs. the 25PRO group. Conclusion: Both diets significantly improved BW, AbOb, MetS risk factors, glycemic control, and BF (%); LBM (kg) loss was similar in both groups. Compared to the 15PRO diet had significantly greater absolute BF-kg and trunk fat-kg losses. Increased PRO intake did not improve AbOb or MetS risk beyond ER and HIT/CME. The impact of HIT/CME and the greater (-1.3kg) changes in BW in the 15PRO group may have contributed significantly to the changes in absolute BF and trunk fat. More research is needed to separate the impact of HIT/CME and weight loss from the impact of PRO during ER.
Graduation date: 2013
Access restricted to the OSU Community at author's request from March 28, 2013 - March 28, 2014

Research indicates that eccentric exercise is associated with delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS). The symptoms associated with DOMS is similar to other inflammatory conditions e.g. pain, swelling and tissue damage. The DOMS as a reaction to the muscle damage is accompanied by changes in cytokines, leukocytes and other markers of inflammation. Prolonged exercise training without adequate rest and nutrition can lead to chronic inflammation and altered cytokine production patterns, which could result in overtraining. Methodology The study included actively participating marathon runners and consisted of two groups, a control group (n = 24 athletes) and an experimental group taking Traumeel S (n = 26 athletes), assigned in a double-blind fashion. Subjects made use of the treatment protocol for a period of seven days and followed their normal training program with no additional training. DOMS was induced on day eight when subjects ran downhill at 75% of peak treadmill running speed (PTRS) for 45 minutes at a gradient of –10% with ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), perceived pain (RPP) and heart rate was measured during the run. After the DOMS was induced subjects reported for blood samples for serum creatine kinase (CK), serum cortisol and a differential white blood cell count was taken at the same time for four days after DOMS was induced. Results The t-test for independent groups was used to determine the statistical differences between the two groups and for inter-group analysis. The results showed minor and predominantly insignificant changes in CK-, basophil-, eosinophil- and lymphocyte-counts. The cortisol levels in the treated group were higher compared to the placebo group at 48-, 72- and 96-hours post-exercise. The treated subjects’ mean monocyte count fell significantly on the first day of recovery and remained significantly lower for the four days post-exercise. Conclusions The increased cortisol concentrations can assist the immune system to shut of the acute inflammatory reaction associated with DOMS and in so doing reduce exercise induced muscle damage and inflammation. The decreased monocyte counts will reduce blood vessel permeability and swelling, fewer pain receptors will be stimulated because of lower PGE2 levels associated with decreased monocyte activation. Secondary, muscle damage that can amongst others be associated with increased monocytic activity, will be limited. Additional blood tests and performance testing are needed to confirm and substantiate the findings of the research.
Dissertation (MA (Human Movement Sciences)--University of Pretoria, 2007.
Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences
unrestricted

An extensive literature has linked off-time pubertal maturation to adverse health outcomes among adults. Childhood adversities are also linked to both pubertal development and cardiometabolic disease. Despite the racial and ethnic disparities in pubertal timing and cardiometabolic health in midlife, few studies have investigated if off-time pubertal maturation is associated with Latino individuals' metabolic syndrome. Furthermore, there exists limited data assessing early life risk factors affecting the association between timing of pubertal maturation and metabolic syndrome by sex and in young adults. This dissertation used a life course perspective to test developmental hypotheses of stress on reproductive strategies and cardiometabolic health to address these limitations. The three primary aims of this dissertation research were to 1) estimate the association between family dysfunction and timing of pubertal maturation in Latino boys and girls, 2) systematically review the impact of the timing of pubertal maturation on metabolic syndrome in young adults age 18-40 years, and 3) estimate the association between timing of pubertal maturation and metabolic syndrome in young adult Latino men and women. The analytic aims were explored using data from two population-based cohorts that include different age groups: the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCSH/SOL) Youth Ancillary Study (cross-sectional design) (8-16 years), and the Boricua Youth Study Health Assessment Ancillary Study (prospective design) (5-10 years and 18-23 years). The first empirical study, using HCHS/SOL Youth data, found that the presence of family dysfunction may be associated with delayed pubertal maturation in Latino children and adolescents. The systematic review highlighted the lack of diversity by sex, measurements, and racial/ethnic representation in this area of research, but also suggested that childhood BMI may account for much of the association between pubertal timing and metabolic syndrome. The second empirical study, based on the BYS HA study, did not find meaningful associations between timing of pubertal maturation and metabolic syndrome and cardiometabolic traits in young adults. These results do not support the prevailing hypotheses nor quantitative evidence linking off-time pubertal maturation to poorer cardiometabolic health. Overall, this dissertation utilized a life course perspective to advance understanding and support of the origins of adulthood cardiovascular risk that may begin in childhood. Future investigations should be designed to be longitudinal and include measures characterizing childhood body size, health behaviors, and environmental exposures. Future studies should also explore the specific mechanisms explaining the observed associations, particularly the complex interaction between hormonal and metabolic factors that appear to affect adult health among individuals with off-time pubertal maturation adversely.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
Down syndrome (DS), a genetic disorder that affects ~1 in 700 live births, is caused by trisomy of human chromosome 21 (Hsa21). Individuals with DS are affected by a wide spectrum of phenotypes which vary in severity and penetrance. However, cognitive and skeletal impairments can be commonly observed in all individuals with DS. To study these phenotypes, we utilized the Ts65Dn mouse model that carries three copies of approximately half the gene orthologs found on Hsa21 and exhibit similar phenotypes as observed in humans with DS. Individuals with DS and Ts65Dn mice have deficits in bone mineral density (BMD), bone architecture, bone strength, learning and memory. Over-expression of DYRK1A, a serine-threonine kinase encoded on Hsa21, has been linked to deficiencies in DS bone homeostasis and cognition. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), an aromatic polyphenol found in high concentrations in green tea, is a selective inhibitor of DYRK1A activity. Normalization of DYRK1A activity by EGCG therefore may have the potential to ameliorate skeletal and cognitive deficits. We hypothesized that supplements containing EGCG obtained from health food stores/ online vendors will not be as effective as EGCG from a chemical company in correcting bone deficits associated with DS. Our results suggest that EGCG improves the bone mineral density of trisomic femurs significantly better than the supplements while the EGCgNOW supplement from NOW FOODS improves trabecular and cortical bone structure. The results from HPLC analysis of supplements showed the presence of other catechins in EGCgNOW and degradation analysis revealed the rapid degradation of supplements. Therefore we hypothesize that the presence of EGCG degradation products and other green tea catechins in supplements may play a role in the differential skeletal effects we observed. We further hypothesized that a three week treatment of adolescent mice with EGCG will lead to an improvement in the learning and memory deficits that are observed in trisomic animals in comparison to control mice. However, our results indicate that three weeks of low-dose EGCG treatment during adolescence is insufficient to improve hippocampal dependent learning and memory deficits of Ts65Dn mice. The possibility remains that a higher dose of EGCG that begins at three weeks but lasts throughout the behavioral test period may result in improvement in learning and memory deficit of Ts65Dn mice.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
For years, the leading killer of Americans has been coronary artery disease (CAD), which has a strong correlation to the U.S. obesity epidemic. Obesity, along with the presence of other risk factors including hyperglycemia, hypercholesterolemia, dyslipidemia, and high blood pressure, comprise of the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome (MetS). The presentation of multiple MetS risk factors increases a patients risk for adverse cardiovascular events. CAD is a complex progressive disease. We utilized the superb model of CAD and MetS, the Ossabaw miniature swine, to investigate underlying mechanisms of CAD progression. We studied the influence of coronary epicardial adipose tissue (cEAT) and coronary smooth muscle cell (CSM) intracellular Ca2+ regulation on CAD progression. By surgical excision of cEAT from MetS Ossabaw, we observed an attenuation of CAD progression. This finding provides evidence for a link between local cEAT and CAD progression. Intracellular Ca2+ is a tightly regulated messenger in CSM that initiates contraction, translation, proliferation and migration. When regulation is lost, CSM dedifferentiate from their mature, contractile phenotype found in the healthy vascular wall to a synthetic, proliferative phenotype. Synthetic CSM are found in intimal plaque of CAD patients. We investigated the changes in intracellular Ca2+ signaling in enzymatically isolated CSM from Ossabaw swine with varying stages of CAD using the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator, fura-2. This time course study revealed heightened Ca2+ signaling in early CAD followed by a significant drop off in late stage calcified plaque. Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is a result of dedifferentiation into an osteogenic CSM that secretes hydroxyapatite in the extracellular matrix. CAC is clinically detected by computed tomography (CT). Microcalcifications have been linked to plaque instability/rupture and cannot be detected by CT. We used 18F-NaF positron emission tomography (PET) to detect CAC in Ossabaw swine with early stage CAD shown by mild neointimal thickening. This study validated 18F-NaF PET as a diagnostic tool for early, molecular CAC at a stage prior to lesions detectable by CT. This is the first report showing non-invasive PET resolution of CAC and CSMC Ca2+ dysfunction at an early stage previously only characterized by invasive cellular Ca2+ imaging.

This study explores the possible efficacy of a low carbohydrate and high fat nutritional intervention (LCHF) as a treatment possibility aiming to improve the ability of self-control and regulation in the context of carbohydrate-addiction. The study first outlines why increased simple carbohydrate consumption has been implicated as a risk-factor in numerous chronic conditions, and then explores the possibility that a reduction of such consumption could lower general medical expenditure in the healthcare sector of already overburdened institutions, especially in developing countries like South Africa. Since the neurobiological evidence for food addiction is compelling, this study investigates the impact of a low carbohydrate and high fat eating (LCHF) regimen by measuring the change in the severity of addictive behaviour in relation to a reduced carbohydrate consumption. Results indicate that a LCHF nutritional intervention lessened addictive behaviour after just 30 days, resulting in a statistically significant decrease in addiction symptoms from day 1 to day 30. The weight and BMI values of the participants recorded at the end of the study showed a reduction from those obtained during the pre- treatment stage, and the self-perceived ‘feeling in control’ also improved in all participants after the intervention. The introduction of a LCHF nutritional intervention presents a relatively cost-effective treatment and preventative measure to combat carbohydrate over-consumption and its numerous health complications, and it is therefore hoped that the positive findings of this study will foster further research, using larger samples, into this type of nutritional intervention against addictive eating behaviour.
Psychology
M.A. (Psychology)