The effect of a dietary nitrate supplementation in the form of a single shot of beetroot juice on static and dynamic apnoea performance

Introduction: The purpose of the present study was to assess the effects of acute nitrate (NO3-)-rich beetroot juice supplementation on peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2), heart rate (HR), and pulmonary gas exchange during submaximal static and dynamic apnoea. Methods: Nine (six male, three female) trained apneists (age: 39.6 ± 8.2 years, stature: 170.4 ± 11.5cm, body mass: 72.0 ± 11.5 kg) performed three submaximal static apnoeas at 60%, 70% and 80% of the participant’s current reported personal best time, followed by three submaximal (~ 75% or personal best distance) dynamic apnoeas following the consumption of either a 140 ml concentrated NO3--rich beetroot juice (BRJ; 7.7 mmol NO3-) or a NO3--depleted placebo (PLA; 0.1 mmol NO3-) in double-blind randomised manner. HR and SpO2 were measured via fingertip pulse oximetry at the nadir, and online gas analysis was used to assess pulmonary oxygen uptake (V̇O2) during recovery following breath-holds. Results: There were no differences (P <0.05) between conditions for HR (PLA = 59 ± 11 bpm and BRJ = 61 ± 12 bpm), SpO2 (PLA = 83 ± 14% and BRJ = 84 ± 9%) or V̇O2 (PLA = 1.00 ± 0.22 L.min-1 and BRJ = 0.97 ± 0.27 L.min-1). Conclusion: The consumption of 7.7mmol of beetroot juice supplementation prior to a series of submaximal static and dynamic apnoeas did not induce a significant change in SpO2, HR and V̇O2, when compared to placebo. Therefore there is no apparent physiological response that may benefit free-divers as a result of the supplementation

Combining Climate Change Mitigation Scenarios with Current Forest Owner Behavior: A Scenario Study from a Region in Southern Sweden

This study investigates the need for change of current forest management approaches in a southern Swedish region within the context of future climate change mitigation through empirically derived projections, rather than forest management according to silvicultural guidelines. Scenarios indicate that climate change mitigation will increase global wood demand. This might call for adjustments of well-established management approaches. This study investigates to what extent increasing wood demands in three climate change mitigation scenarios can be satisfied with current forest management approaches of different intensities in a southern Swedish region. Forest management practices in Kronoberg County were mapped through interviews, statistics, and desk research and were translated into five different management strategies with different intensities regulating management at the property level. The consequences of current practices, as well as their intensification, were analyzed with the Heureka Planwise forest planning system in combination with a specially developed forest owner decision simulator. Projections were done over a 100-year period under three climate change mitigation scenarios developed with the Global Biosphere Management Model (GLOBIUM). Current management practices could meet scenario demands during the first 20 years. This was followed by a shortage of wood during two periods in all scenarios unless rotations were reduced. In a longer timeframe, the wood demands were projected to be easily satisfied in the less ambitious climate change mitigation scenarios. In contrast, the demand in the ambitious mitigation scenario could not be met with current management practices, not even if all owners managed their production forests at the intensive extreme of current management approaches. The climate change mitigation scenarios provide very different trajectories with respect to future drivers of forest management. Our results indicate that with less ambitious mitigation efforts, the relatively intensive practices in the study region can be softened while ambitious mitigation might push for further intensification

The Effects of Pre-Race Apnoeas on 400-m Freestyle Swimming Performance

This study aimed to establish whether a series of three apnoeas prior to a 400-m freestyle time-trial affected swimming performance when compared to, and combined with a warm-up. Nine (6 males, 3 females) regional to national standard swimmers completed four 400-m freestyle time-trials in 4 randomized conditions: without warm-up or apnoeas (CON), warm-up only (WU), apnoeas only (AP) and warm-up and apnoeas (WUAP). Time-trial performance was significantly improved after WUAP (275.79 ±12.88 s) compared to CON (278.66 ±13.31 s, P = 0.035) and AP (278.64 ±4.10 s, P =0.015). However, there were no significant differences between the WU (276.01 ±13.52 s, P >0.05), and other interventions. Spleen volume compared to baseline was significantly reduced following the apnoeas by a maximum of ~45% in the WUAP and by ~20% in WU. This study showed that the combination of a warm-up with apnoeas could significantly improve 400-m freestyle swim performance compared to a control and apnoea intervention. Further investigation into whether long-term apnoea training can enhance this response is justified

Forest biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and wood production: modeling synergies and trade-offs for ten forest landscapes across Europe

Original ResearchEurope’s forests provide vital habitat for biodiversity and essential ecosystem services whose provision must be sustained or enhanced over the coming century. However, the potential to secure or increase forest ecosystem services, while securing the habitat requirements of taxa remains unclear, especially within the context of uncertain climate and socio-economic developments. To tease out the associated trade-offs and synergies, we used 10 case study landscapes within nine countries throughout Europe. Starting with the current status of the forests in the case study landscapes, we simulated forest development 100 years into the future. Simulations were embedded in three combined climate and socio-economic frame scenarios based on global and European policies which varied in their climate change mitigation efficiency. Scenarios were translated into country specific projections of climate variables, and resultant demands for wood products. Forest management regimes were projected to vary in response to these scenarios at local scales. The specific combinations of alternative forest management practices were based on parallel research and input from local forest stakeholders. For each case study, a specific forest growth simulator was used. In general, the climate scenarios applied did not cause fundamentally different ecosystem service outputs at the case study level. Our results revealed almost no reduction in outcomes for biodiversity indicators with an increase in wood production, and in some cases synergistic results occurred when diversity was actively promoted as part of the management concept. Net carbon uptake was not strongly correlated with biodiversity, indicating that biodiversity-friendly forest management doesn’t need to curtail carbon sequestration. Notably, we obtained heterogeneous results for the relation between sustainable wood production and net carbon uptake. Most scenarios resulted in a more or less reduced net carbon uptake over the long term, often due to stand age class distribution shifts. Levels of sustainable wood production varied widely during the simulation period, from significant increases (Sweden, Lithuania) to minor changes (Slovakia, Turkey) and slight decreases (Ireland, Netherlands). We place our results within the larger context of European forest policy and the challenges of simulating and contrasting forest biodiversity and the ecosystem services that societies depend on outcomes for biodiversity indicators with an increase in wood production, and in some cases synergistic results occurred when diversity was actively promoted as part of the management concept. Net carbon uptake was not strongly correlated with biodiversity, indicating that biodiversity-friendly forest management doesn’t need to curtail carbon sequestration. Notably, we obtained heterogeneous results for the relation between sustainable wood production and net carbon uptake. Most scenarios resulted in a more or less reduced net carbon uptake over the long term, often due to stand age class distribution shifts. Levels of sustainable wood production varied widely during the simulation period, from significant increases (Sweden, Lithuania) to minor changes (Slovakia, Turkey) and slight decreases (Ireland, Netherlands). We place our results within the larger context of European forest policy and the challenges of simulating and contrasting forest biodiversity and the ecosystem services that societies depend oninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

S -Adenosyl- l -homocysteine in brain

Administration of methionine sulfoximine (MSO) to rats and mice significantly decreased cerebral levels of S -adenosyl- l -homocysteine (AdoHcy). Concurrent administration of methionine prevented this decrease and, when methionine was given alone, significantly elevated AdoHcy levels resulted in both species. Regionally, AdoHcy levels varied from 20 nmol/g in rat cerebellum and spinal cord to about 60 nmol/g in hypothalamus and midbrain. MSO decreased AdoHcy in all regions tested except striatum, midbrain, and spinal cord. AdoMet/AdoHcy ratios (methylation index) varied from 0.48 in hypothalamus to 2.4 in cerebellum, and MSO administration decreased these ratios in all regions except hypothalamus. AdoHcy hydrolase activity was lowest in hypothalamus, highest in brainstem and, generally, varied inversely with regional AdoHcy levels. MSO decreased AdoHcy hydrolase activity in all regions except hypothalamus and spinal cord. Cycloleucine administration resulted in significantly decreased levels of mouse brain AdoHcy, whereas the administration of dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) failed to affect AdoHcy levels. It is concluded that (a) cerebral AdoHcy levels are more tightly regulated than are those of AdoMet after MSO administration, (b) slight fluctuations of AdoHcy levels may be important in regulating AdoHcy hydrolase activity and hence AdoHcy catabolism in vivo, (c) the AdoMet/AdoHcy ratio reflects the absolute AdoMet concentration rather than the transmethylation flux, (d) the decreased AdoMet levels in midbrain, cortex, and striatum after MSO with no corresponding decrease in AdoHcy suggest an enhanced AdoMet utilization, hence an increased transmethylation in the MSO preconvulsant state.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/45411/1/11064_2004_Article_BF00966019.pd

Some technique-dependent patterns of collateral flow during cerebral angiography

During selective transfemoral catheter cerebral angiography, anastomoses between external carotid branches and the vertebral artery, between the vertebral and deep or ascending cervical arteries, and between the middle meningeal and ophthalmic arteries can be demonstrated fairly frequently in patients with no known vascular abnormalities. One can occasionally show bidirectional filling of these anastomoses depending on the vessel injected. Visualization of these anastomoses occurs to a variable degree and is sometimes entirely technique-dependent, reflecting a transient increase in the intraluminal pressure during the injection of contrast medium.-Thus, demonstration of extracranial collateral arterial flow during cerebral angiography should not necessarily be interpreted as an abnormal phenomenon, such as may be seen with arterial occlusive disease, vascular malformation, or a very vascular tumor. Au cours de l'angiographie cérébrale parcathétérismes sélectifs par voie fémorale, peuvent apparaître des anastomoses entre des branches carotidiennes externes et l'artère vertébrale, entre l'artère vertébrale et les artères cérébrales profondes ou ascendantes et entre l'artère méningée moyenne et l'artère ophtalmique. Occasionnellement, on peut mettre en évidence un remplissage bidirectionnel de ces anastomoses, en rapport avec le vaisseau injecté. La visualisation de ces anastomoses se produit de facon variable dépend parfois entièrement de la technique, reflétant une augmentation transitoire de la pression dans l'artère durant l'injection du produit de contraste. Par conséquent, l'observation d'une circulation artérielle collatérale extracrânienne pendant une angiographie cérébrale ne représente pas nécéssairement un phénomène anormal tel qu'on le rencontre dans les troubles artériels occlusifs, dans les malformations vasculaires et dans les tumeurs vascularisées. Während der selektiven transfemoralen Katheter-Angiographie können sich Anastomosen zwischen Externa-Gefäßen und der A. vertebralis, zwischen der A. vertebralis und tiefen oder aufsteigenden cervicalen Arterien und zwischen der A. meningica media und der A. ophthalmica darstellen. Diese Befunde finden sich auch bei Patienten, bei denen keine Gef:aßanomalien vorliegen. Gelegentlich wird ein bidirektionaler Kontrastmitteldurchfluß durch diese Anastomosen nachgewiesen, dabei ist die Kontrastmittelfüllung von der Lokalisation der Kontrastmittelinjektion abhängig. Es zeigt sich also, daß diese unterschiedlichen Durchströmungen technisch bedingt werden können und nicht immer als abnormales Phänomen gedeutet werden können.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46671/1/234_2004_Article_BF00341594.pd

Corporation taxes in the European Union: Slowly moving toward comprehensive business income taxation?

This paper is a substantial revision of a paper presented at the 71st Annual Congress of the International Institute of Public Finance (Dublin, 20–23 August, 2015), which was issued under the title Tackling Spillovers by Taxing Corporate Income in the European Union at Source, as CPB Discussion Paper 324 (February 2016) and as CESifo Working Paper No. 5790 (March 2016).This paper surveys and evaluates the corporation tax systems of the Member States of the European Union on the basis of a comprehensive taxonomy of actual and potential regimes, which have as their base either profits; profits, interest and royalties; or economic rents. The current regimes give rise to various instate and interstate spillovers, which violate the basic tenets—neutrality and subsidiarity—of the single market. The trade-offs between the implications of these tenets—harmonization and diversity, respectively—can be reconciled by a bottom-up strategy of strengthening source-based taxation and narrowing differences in tax rates. The strategy starts with dual income taxation, proceeds with final source withholding taxes and rate coordination, and is made complete by comprehensive business income taxation. Common base and cash flow taxation are not favored.http://link.springer.com/journal/10797am2017Economic