Dumbbells and ankle-wrist weight training leads to changes in body composition and anthropometric parameters with potential cardiovascular disease risk reduction

AbstractObjectivesPromoting physical activity is a global strategy to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to determine and compare the effect of light resistance training using either dumbbells or ankle-wrist weights on the anthropometric parameters and body composition of adults in Kelantan, Malaysia.MethodsThis randomized community trial was conducted in Kelantan, Malaysia, from March through August 2012. Adults with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 23 kg/m2 were randomized into dumbbell (N = 69) and ankle-wrist (N = 69) weight groups. Participants in the dumbbell group performed structured group exercises three times per week using a pair of one-kilogram dumbbells. Participants in the ankle-wrist weight group were given one pair of 500 gm ankle weights and one pair of 500 gm wrist weights to be worn during the activities of daily living three days per week for at least 20 min. BMI, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), body fat percentage (BF%) and skeletal muscle percentage (SM%) were measured at baseline, week 6, month 3 and month 6.ResultsEighty-nine participants completed this study. There were significant reductions in BMI only at week six for the dumbbell group. No significant BMI changes were observed for the ankle-wrist weight group. Significant improvements of WC, WHR, BF%, and SM% were observed in both intervention groups from baseline at week 6, month 3, and month 6.ConclusionResistance exercise using either dumbbells or ankle-wrist weights produced significant improvements in certain components of body composition and anthropometric parameters

Depression during pregnancy: views on antidepressant use and information sources of general practitioners and pharmacists

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The use of antidepressants during pregnancy has increased in recent years. In the Netherlands, almost 2% of all pregnant women are exposed to antidepressants. Although guidelines have been developed on considerations that should be taken into account, prescribing antidepressants during pregnancy is still a subject of debate. Physicians and pharmacists may have opposing views on using medication during pregnancy and may give contradictory advice on whether or not to take medication for depression and anxiety disorders during pregnancy. In this study, we investigated information sources used by general practitioners (GPs) and pharmacists and their common practices.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A questionnaire on the use of information sources and the general approach when managing depression during pregnancy was sent out to 1400 health care professionals to assess information sources on drug safety during pregnancy and also the factors that influence decision-making. The questionnaires consisted predominantly of closed multiple-choice questions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 130 GPs (19%) and 144 pharmacists (21%) responded. The most popular source of information on the safety of drug use during pregnancy is the Dutch National Health Insurance System Formulary, while a minority of respondents contacts the Dutch national Teratology Information Service (TIS). The majority of GPs contact the pharmacy with questions concerning drug use during pregnancy. There is no clear line with regard to treatment or consensus between GPs on the best therapeutic strategy, nor do practitioners agree upon the drug of first choice. GPs have different views on stopping or continuing antidepressants during pregnancy or applying alternative treatment options. The debate appears to be ongoing as to whether or not specialised care for mother and child is indicated in cases of gestational antidepressant use.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Primary health care workers are not univocal concerning therapy for pregnant women with depression. Although more research is needed to account for all safety issues, local or national policies are indispensable in order to avoid undesirable practices, such as giving contradictory advice. GPs and pharmacists should address the subject during their regular pharmacotherapeutic consensus meetings, preferably in collaboration with the TIS or other professionals in the field.</p

Experience Feedback Committee: a management tool to improve patient safety in mental health

BACKGROUND: A management tool, called the Experience Feedback Committee, has been applied for patient safety and successfully used in medical departments. The purpose of this study was to analyse the functioning of an Experience Feedback Committee in a psychiatric department and to explore its contribution to the particular issues of patient safety in mental health. METHODS: We conducted a descriptive study based on all the written documents produced by the Experience Feedback Committee between March 2010 and January 2013. The study was conducted in Grenoble University Hospital in France. We analysed all reported incidents, reports of meetings and event analysis reports. Adverse events were classified according to the Conceptual Framework for the International Classification for Patient Safety. RESULTS: A total of 30 meetings were attended by 22 professionals including seven physicians and 12 paramedical practitioners. We identified 475 incidents reported to the Experience Feedback Committee. Most of them (92 %) had no medical consequence for the patient. Eleven incidents were investigated with an analysis method inspired by civil aviation security systems. Twenty-one corrective actions were set up, including eight responses to the specific problems of a mental health unit, such as training to respond to situations of violence or management of suicide attempts. CONCLUSIONS: The Experience Feedback Committee makes it possible to involve mental healthcare professionals directly in safety management. This tool seems appropriate to manage specific patient safety issues in mental health. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12991-015-0062-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Singapore schools and professional learning communities: teacher professional development and school leadership in an Asian hierarchical system

While the literature on professional learning communities (PLCs) has proliferated, much of it derived from and contextualised in Anglo-American settings, the concept and practice of PLCs in Asian contexts of strong hierarchies have largely been ignored. Based on literature and documentary analysis, this paper investigates the systemic implementation of PLCs in Singapore schools. The authors seek to show first how policy developments have in effect been laying the seedbed for PLCs for some 13 years, and yet evidence suggests that teacher pedagogy has been slow to change. Secondly, Singapore educational cultural and institutional contexts are reviewed to reveal how they mediate and filter “Western” notions of PLCs. Three potential implementation difficulties are identified – high teacher workloads, ambiguity of PLC processes and their efficacy, and hierarchical system and workplaces. Conclusions and implications emphasise the importance of effective school leadership in developing PLC practices, and how societal culture and context fundamentally shape the form that PLCs take

Sonochmical synthesis of zeolite a from collodal silica

Zeolite A has been successfully prepared from colloidal silica at moderate temperature by sonochemical synthesis technique. In this study, the effect of ageing parameter (time and temperature) was investigated under ultrasound irradiation technique. XRD results showed that high crystallinity of zeolite A was obtained at 353 K for 60 minutes

The effect of Si/Al ratio on propane aromatization over H-ZSM5 catalysts

Aromatization of propane has been investigated over H-ZSM5 catalysts with Si/Al ratios of 23, 50, 80 and 280. The physicochemical properties of catalysts were determined by nitrogen physisorption, pyridine adsorbed FTIR and X-ray Diffraction techniques. The reaction was carried out by continuous flow reactor at 723 – 923 K under oxygen atmosphere. The products of BTX (benzene, toluene and xylene) were analyzed by FID Gas Chromatography. The conversion of propane reached to 70, 63, 62 and 21 % for H-ZSM5 with Si/Al ratio of 23, 50, 80, and 280, respectively

Dynamic modification of H+ active site on HZSM-5 catalyst

Dynamic modification of H+ active sites from molecular hydrogen on Zn loaded HZSM-5 was studied by IR spectroscopy of adsorbed pyridine. By heating in the presence of molecular hydrogen, H+ active sites were formed with a concomitant decline of Lewis acid sites. The Lewis acid sites began to convert into H+ active sites at 348 K and the number of H+ active sites increased by increasing the heating temperature. The activity of HZSM-5 catalyst was tested on the hydroisomerization of pentane

Behaviours of students when solving the assessment of programme for international student assessment (pisa) mathematical problems

Application of mathematical concepts in the real world requires the use of problem solving skill. The skill is also one of the important components in the learning of mathematics at upper secondary schools. In addition, the emphasis on mathematical problem solving skill in Malaysian system of education can result in the improvement in Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The success of teaching and learning using problem solving is determined by students' behaviour. Thus, different forms of problem-solving questions allow careful observations to be done on students' behaviour. Consequently, the behaviour of successful and less successful students can be distinguished. Therefore, this study aims to determine how students' behaviour differs when they respond to mathematics questions in PISA. A method of data collection named as thinking aloud was conducted among six Form 2 students. The results of this study showed that successful students emphasised behavioural process of analysing problems and took a lot of time to solve them. Although less successful students behaved quite similar to the successful ones, they did not possess specific domain of knowledge in mathematics. Meanwhile, unsuccessful students showed minor reactions while they were analysing the problems and taking shorter time to answer the questions as compared to the successful ones