Effects of exercise training on muscle mass and physical function in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after diagnosis: a systematic review

Background & Aims: Decreased muscle mass and physical function are common complications in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients which are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Thus, there have been targeted efforts to prevent and/or improve both by enrolling these patients in exercise training programs. We performed a systematic review to evaluate the effects of exercise training on muscle mass and physical function in people with HCC after diagnosis. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using the Medline, Base, PubMed, Cochrane and Scopus, and trial registries, through April 2023 for studies that assessed the effects of an exercise training program in adults with HCC. The primary outcomes were muscle mass and physical function. To assess the risk of bias, we used the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies from the Effective Public Health Practice Project. Results: Eight studies met inclusion criteria, comprising a total of 809 participants. Interventions included aerobic exercise training, resistance exercise training, balance and flexibility training, or home-based exercise training. Four studies showed statistically significant improvements in at least one muscular outcome. Three studies showed a maintenance of muscular outcomes, and one a decrease in muscle mass. Four articles showed statistically improvements in at least one physical fitness variable, two showed a maintenance of physical function variable. Conclusion: Together the results suggest that patients may benefit from physical exercise training after treatment to improve muscle mass and physical function.</p

No Prices No Games!: Four Economic Models (PDF)

While current economic theory focuses on prices and games, this book models economic settings where harmony is established through one of the following societal conventions: •A power relation according to which stronger agents are able to force weaker ones to do things against their will. •A norm that categorizes actions as permissible or forbidden. •A status relation over alternatives which limits each agent's choices. •Systematic biases in agents' preferences. These four conventions are analysed using simple and mathematically straightforward models, without any pretensions regarding direct applied usefulness. While we do not advocate for the adoption of any of these conventions specifically – we do advocate that when modelling an economic situation, alternative equilibrium notions should be considered, rather than automatically reaching for the familiar approaches of prices or games

Exploring toilet plume bioaerosol exposure dynamics in public toilets using a Design of Experiments approach

   Bioaerosols generated during toilet flushing can contribute to the spread of airborne pathogens and cross-contamination in indoor environments. This presents an increased risk of fomite-mediated or aerosol disease transmission. This study systematically investigated the factors contributing to increased bioaerosol exposure following toilet flushing and developed an empirical model for predicting the exposure-relevant bioaerosol concentration. Air in a toilet cubicle was sampled by impaction after seeding with Clostridium difficile spores. Design of Experiments (DoE) main effects screening and full factorial design approaches were then employed to investigate the significant factors that heighten the risk of exposure to bioaerosols post-flush. Our findings reveal that the inoculated bacterial concentration (C), time elapsed after flushing (t), lateral distance (d), and mechanical ventilation (v) are significant predictors of bioaerosol concentration, with p-values 3 at the closest proximity and highest pathogen load. The interplay of C and t (C × t) demonstrated a time-dependent attenuation of bioaerosol viability, with concentrations peaking at 241 CFU/m3 immediately post-flush and notably diminishing over time. The lateral distance and time post-flush (d × t) interaction also revealed a gradual decrease in bioaerosol concentration, highlighting the effectiveness of spatial and temporal dilution in mitigating bioaerosol exposure risks. Furthermore, there is an immediate rise in relative humidity levels post-flush, impacting the air quality in the toilet environment. This study not only advances our understanding of exposure pathways in determining bioaerosol exposure, but also offers pivotal insights for designing targeted interventions to reduce bioaerosol exposure. Recommendations include designing public toilets with antimicrobial surfaces, optimizing ventilation, and initiating timely disinfection protocols to prioritise surfaces closest to the toilet bowl during peak exposure periods, thereby promoting healthier indoor environments and safeguarding public health in high-traffic toilet settings.</div

Elastic and elastoplastic contact mechanics of concentrated coated contacts

Machines operate under increasingly harsher contact conditions, causing significant wear and contact fatigue. Sub-surface stresses are responsible for the premature contact fatigue of rolling element bearings, meshing gears, and cam–follower pairs. Surface protection measures include hard, wear-resistant coatings. Traditionally, contact integrity has been predicted using classical Herian contact mechanics. However, the theory is only applicable when the contact between a pair of ellipsoidal solids of revolution may be considered as a rigid indenter penetrating a semi-infinite elastic half-space. Many coatings act as thin bonded elastic layers that undergo considerably higher pressures than those predicted by the classical theory. Furthermore, inelastic deformation of bonded solids can cause plastic flow, work-hardening, and elastoplastic behaviour. This paper presents a comprehensive, integrated contact mechanics analysis that includes induced sub-surface stresses in concentrated counterformal finite line contacts for all the aforementioned cases. Generated pressures and deformation are predicted for hard coated surfaces, for which there is a dearth of relevant analysis. The contact characteristics, which are of particular practical significance, of many hard, wear-resistant advanced coatings are also studied. The paper clearly demonstrates the importance of using efficient semi-analytical, detailed holistic contact mechanics rather than the classical idealised methods or empirical numerical ones such as FEA. The novel approach presented for the finite line contact of thin-layered bonded solids has not hitherto been reported in the open literature No description supplied</p

The road to cooptation is paved with good intentions: an anarchafeminist critique of empowerment ambiguity in DSI

This theoretical paper critically examines the relationship between design for social innovation and the concept of empowerment. It questions to what extent current empowerment discourses in design genuinely amplify marginalized voices or rather reinforce and hide existing structural inequalities. With the aim of unveiling the emptiness of signifiers such as empowerment -much like the contested concept of social innovation, this contribution aims to encourage a critical reflection on power dynamics through an anarchafeminist lens. Rather than striving for definite answers, this lens is an open and dynamic invitation to scholars and practitioners to continue exploring (self)critical spaces and interrogate design for social innovation to reveal and confront the complexities, oversights, and potential challenges of contemporary design paradigms.</p

Optimized Neumann-Neumann method for the Stokes-Darcy problem

A novel preconditioner of Neumann-Neumann type for the Stokes-Darcy problem is studied, where optimal weights of the local subproblems that define the preconditioner are obtained by minimizing the convergence rate of the method in the frequency space. Numerical tests show that the preconditioner is robust with respect to both the mesh size and the values of the physical parameters of the problem.</p

The Electrophone: the life and death of a Victorian broadcasting device 1893 - 2023

The life and death of a Victorian broadcasting device 1893 - 2023</p

Gamified smartphone app engagement: Comparative analysis of Belgian and UK car drivers in the i-DREAMS project

The i-DREAMS project introduced the concept of a 'Safety Tolerance Zone', i.e., a context-aware safety envelope designed to assist drivers in main-taining self-regulated control within the boundaries of safe operations. Using an ecosystem of sensors, i-DREAMS technology continuously monitors factors de-termining driving task complexity and available coping capacity and calculates risk levels in real-time. Based on this information, both real-time and post-trip interventions are tailored to keep drivers from getting too close to the boundaries of unsafe driving. Real-time interventions are provided via in-vehicle display, while post-trip interventions are delivered via a smartphone app (and web-dash-board) with provisions for gamification. This study focuses on post-trip interven-tions, specifically user engagement with the i-DREAMS app. Data from 49 Belgian and 51 UK car drivers over a 10-week period showed a steady decline in drivers’ engagement following the first day of app activation. However, when gamification features were activated, user interaction increased, suggesting they re-engaged users. UK drivers exhibited higher engagement than Belgians. Trips, scores and goals were the most visited features in both countries, while the leaderboard was popular among UK drivers only. Analysis showed a dose-response relationship, with intensive app users demonstrating better im-provement in driving performance than less frequent users.</p

Influence of dietary nitrate supplementation on high-intensity exercise performance: association with skeletal muscle oxidative phenotype

Dietary nitrate (NO3-) has emerged as ergogenic aid in recent years with the potential to enhance performance in various exercise settings. The ergogenic effects of dietary NO3- supplementation have been attributed to its stepwise reduction to nitrite (NO2-) and then nitric oxide (NO). Dietary NO3- was initially recognised as an ergogenic aid for endurance exercise on the basis of initial studies reporting enhanced exercise economy and performance during continuous submaximal exercise. More recently, and inspired by murine models revealing enhanced physiological responses in fast-twitch (type II) skeletal muscle compared to slow-twitch (type I skeletal muscle), there has been interest in exploring the ergogenic potential of NO3- supplementation to improve performance in higher intensities of exercise that mandate greater type II muscle fibre recruitment. Moreover, since muscle pH and oxygenation decline to a greater extent in contracting type II skeletal muscle and at higher exercise intensities, and since the stepwise reduction of NO3- to NO2- and then NO2- to NO is enhanced in acidosis and hypoxia, NO3- may be more effectively metabolised to NO after NO3- supplementation in such settings. However, the effect of NO3- supplementation on performance in such settings, and to what extent any ergogenic effect of NO3- supplementation was related to skeletal muscle oxidative phenotype was unclear. Therefore, the overarching purpose of the current thesis was to assess the effect of NO3- supplementation on performance during short-duration, high-intensity exercise modes, and to assess the degree to which this was influenced by markers of skeletal muscle oxidative phenotype. In Study 1, the effect of short-term supplementation with NO3--rich beetroot juice (BR) on performance during high-intensity intermittent running completed in normoxia and two doses of normobaric hypoxia, to reflect terrestrial altitudes of ~1200 m and 2400 m, was assessed in endurance trained participants. Compared to a NO3--depleted beetroot juice (PL), BR increased plasma NO2- concentration but did not improve high-intensity intermittent running performance in normoxia or normobaric hypoxia to reflect low-to-moderate altitude exposure. Chapter 3 investigated the effect of short-term BR supplementation on 40 m sprint running performance and how this related to % type II muscle fibres, mitochondrial respiration and citrate synthase activity as a marker of mitochondrial content. Although BR supplementation did not improve 40 m running performance, instantaneous velocity (IV) over the final 10 m of the sprint was higher after BR compared to PL (7.81 ± 0.81 vs. 7.75 ± 0.87 m·s-1; P3- dose. Rate of force development (RFD) during the CMJ was lower after BR compared to PL supplementation in females (6108 ± 1886 vs. 7038 ± 2271 N·s-1, P=0.004), but otherwise, BR supplementation did not alter concentric and eccentric torque or CMJ performance in males or males and females combined (P>0.05). However, the degree to which CMJ RFD was increased by BR supplementation was inversely related to mitochondrial respiration (r =-0.464, P=0.039) and NO3- dose relative to fat free mass (r =-0.640, PIn summary, whilst BR supplementation was largely ineffective at improving performance in the short-duration, high-intensity exercise modes assessed in the current thesis, and could compromise aspects of CMJ performance in females, it was effective at increasing IV at 30-40 m of a 40 m sprint run in a mixed sex group of participants. There was also some evidence in the thesis to suggest that the potential for BR supplementation to improve short-duration, high-intensity exercise performance may be inversely linked to markers of skeletal muscle oxidative phenotype and relative NO3- dose. The original findings presented in this thesis improve our understanding of physiological correlates that could impact the efficacy of BR supplementation to improve short-duration, high-intensity exercise performance.</p

A study of transport planning practice in large scale housing developments in England

Transport Planning Practice has a crucial role to play in helping to realise sustainable housing developments where residents have the opportunity to use sustainable transport; public transport, cycling and walking and shared mobility. This thesis examines transport planning practice in connection with large scale housing developments, those at least 200 dwellings in size, planned, designed and being constructed in England. Accessibility has been a focus as this can be considered to be the main goal of transport planning.The study has examined a representative sample of 126 planning decisions made in 2013 by Local Planning Authorities in England. The transport-related characteristics of these proposed residential developments have been clarified including their size, their location and the level of funding and type of transport improvements associated with them. An Accessibility Proximity Index (API) model has been developed which can be used through the planning and design process to ensure that a high level of accessibility to local Public Transport, Walking and Cycling facilities can be realised.Case Study research has then been undertaken based around a significant cluster of the sample of developments in the Exeter Travel to Work Area of Devon between 2018 and 2022 and during construction of houses. Ten case study developments have been considered including a primary set of four case study developments. Evaluation of these developments demonstrates that they are falling well short of the new perspective of transport and sustainable development needed. The research has also demonstrated that accessibility (proximity) changes over time and consideration is needed through the planning, design and construction stages of a scheme. The five ‘E’s of accessibility are identified, to Exact, to Effect, to Enact, to Extend and to Embrace.Semi-structured interviews have been carried out with 28 senior Transport Planning and Town Planning practitioners working for local authorities and housing developers, some as part of the detailed case study developments and some across England. These interviews led to the identification of a set of wider themes and a set of wider factors identified as the ten ‘L’s that represent the opportunities and constraints that Development Planners work with. A Q Study was undertaken with the Interviewees and this revealed two key factors relating to Accessibility, that one group are Aware of its importance and one group are Reformers. The findings of the Interviews and Q study have given rise to a series of actions that should take place to inform Transport Planning in Large Scale Housing Development moving forward. This has been termed the OPEN agenda and defined as Orientate the Transport Assessment process around Sustainable Accessibility, Persevere with Residential Travel Plans, Ensure investment in Local Authority Officers and Normalise evaluation of sustainable outcomes.With the aid of theological reflection the basic dimensions of travel, People, Journey and Place have been considered in connection with the practice examined. A set of ten great themes have been identified and this has been aligned with core literature revealing that ‘the progress of time’ is not being sufficiently considered in the topic area. Five values have been identified for the work that is done in transport planning; a theology of transport planning to compliment values that are an outcome of the theology of housing identified in literature. A Christian based organisation is proposed to assist in realising greater sustainability in the built environment. . To the author’s knowledge, this is the first time that practical theology has been used as part of transport planning research and this will bring greater meaning and value to its practice.Twelve Accessibility Factors have been identified building on literature and categorised into People, Journey and Place and it is considered that these can be the basis for an evaluation framework for Transport Assessment, the main Transport Planning activity carried out for a planning application for a Large Scale Housing Development.</p