64 research outputs found
uncertainty and complexity in the context of COVID-19
Although the first coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) wave has peaked with the second wave underway, the world is still struggling to manage potential systemic risks and unpredictability of the pandemic. A particular challenge is the “superspreading” of the virus, which starts abruptly, is difficult to predict, and can quickly escalate into medical and socio-economic emergencies that contribute to long-lasting crises challenging our current ways of life. In these uncertain times, organizations and societies worldwide are faced with the need to develop appropriate strategies and intervention portfolios that require fast understanding of the complex interdependencies in our world and rapid, flexible action to contain the spread of the virus as quickly as possible, thus preventing further disastrous consequences of the pandemic. We integrate perspectives from systems sciences, epidemiology, biology, social networks, and organizational research in the context of the superspreading phenomenon to understand the complex system of COVID-19 pandemic and develop suggestions for interventions aimed at rapid responses.publishersversionpublishe
Release of Bet v 1 from birch pollen from 5 European countries. Results from the HIALINE study
Exposure to allergens is pivotal in determining sensitization and allergic symptoms in individuals. Pollen
grain counts in ambient air have traditionally been assessed to estimate airborne allergen exposure.
However, the exact allergen content of ambient air is unknown. We therefore monitored atmospheric
concentrations of birch pollen grains and the matched major birch pollen allergen Bet v 1 simultaneously
across Europe within the EU-funded project HIALINE (Health Impacts of Airborne Allergen Information
Network).
Pollen count was assessed with Hirst type pollen traps at 10 l min 1 at sites in France, United Kingdom,
Germany, Italy and Finland. Allergen concentrations in ambient air were sampled at 800 l min 1 with
a Chemvol high-volume cascade impactor equipped with stages PM > 10 mm, 10 mm > PM > 2.5 mm, and
in Germany also 2.5 mm > PM > 0.12 mm. The major birch pollen allergen Bet v 1 was determined with an
allergen specific ELISA. Bet v 1 isoform patterns were analyzed by 2D-SDS-PAGE blots and mass spectrometric
identification. Basophil activation was tested in an Fc 3R1-humanized rat basophil cell line
passively sensitized with serum of a birch pollen symptomatic patient.
Compared to 10 previous years, 2009 was a representative birch pollen season for all stations. About
90% of the allergen was found in the PM > 10 mm fraction at all stations. Bet v 1 isoforms pattern did not
vary substantially neither during ripening of pollen nor between different geographical locations. The
average European allergen release from birch pollen was 3.2 pg Bet v 1/pollen and did not vary much
between the European countries. However, in all countries a >10-fold difference in daily allergen release
per pollen was measured which could be explained by long-range transport of pollen with a deviating allergen release. Basophil activation by ambient air extracts correlated better with airborne allergen than
with pollen concentration.
Although Bet v 1 is a mixture of different isoforms, its fingerprint is constant across Europe. Bet v 1 was
also exclusively linked to pollen. Pollen from different days varied >10-fold in allergen release. Thus
exposure to allergen is inaccurately monitored by only monitoring birch pollen grains. Indeed,
a humanized basophil activation test correlated much better with allergen concentrations in ambient air
than with pollen count. Monitoring the allergens themselves together with pollen in ambient air might
be an improvement in allergen exposure assessmen
Efficacy of phosphatidic acid ingestion on lean body mass, muscle thickness and strength gains in resistance-trained men
Background: Phosphatidic acid (PA) has been reported to activate the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway and is thought to enhance the anabolic effects of resistance training. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine if oral phosphatidic acid administration can enhance strength, muscle thickness and lean tissue accruement during an 8-week resistance training program. Methods: Sixteen resistance-trained men were randomly assigned to a group that either consumed 750 mg of PA (n = 7, 23.1 +/- 4.4 y; 176.7 +/- 6.7 cm; 86.5 +/- 21.2 kg) or a placebo (PL, n = 9, 22.5 +/- 2.0 y; 179.8 +/- 5.4 cm; 89.4 +/- 13.6 kg) group. During each testing session subjects were assessed for strength (one repetition maximum [1-RM] bench press and squat) and body composition. Muscle thickness and pennation angle were also measured in the vastus lateralis of the subject\u27s dominant leg. Results: Subjects ingesting PA demonstrated a 12.7% increase in squat strength and a 2.6% increase in LBM, while subjects consuming PL showed a 9.3% improvement in squat strength and a 0.1% change in LBM. Although parametric analysis was unable to demonstrate significant differences, magnitude based inferences indicated that the Delta change in 1-RM squat showed a likely benefit from PA on increasing lower body strength and a very likely benefit for increasing lean body mass (LBM). Conclusions: Results of this study suggest that a combination of a daily 750 mg PA ingestion, combined with a 4-day per week resistance training program for 8-weeks appears to have a likely benefit on strength improvement, and a very likely benefit on lean tissue accruement in young, resistance trained individuals
- …