Effectiveness of a six-week high-intensity interval training programme on cardiometabolic markers in sedentary males

High-intensity interval training (HIT) has been proposed as an effective, time efficient strategy to elicit similar cardiometabolic health benefits as traditional moderate-intensity endurance training. This is an important consideration as "lack of time" is a common cited barrier to regular physical activity

A Memorial for William V. Sliter

William V. (Bill) Sliter, an internationally known micropaleontologist and research geologist for the U.S. Geological Survey, passed away suddenly, October, 1997, while talking to a colleague in his office. In his honor, B. Huber, T. Bralower, and M. Leckie organized a keynote symposium ‘‘Paleoecological and Geochemical Signatures of Cretaceous Anoxic Events’’ at the 1998 annual meeting of the Geological Society of America in Toronto, Canada. This theme issue of the Journal of Foraminiferal Research contains the published papers from the symposium and is dedicated to his memory

A Memorial for William V. Sliter

William V. (Bill) Sliter, an internationally known micropaleontologist and research geologist for the U.S. Geological Survey, passed away suddenly, October, 1997, while talking to a colleague in his office. In his honor, B. Huber, T. Bralower, and M. Leckie organized a keynote symposium ‘‘Paleoecological and Geochemical Signatures of Cretaceous Anoxic Events’’ at the 1998 annual meeting of the Geological Society of America in Toronto, Canada. This theme issue of the Journal of Foraminiferal Research contains the published papers from the symposium and is dedicated to his memory

Serum Transthyretin and Aminotransferases are associated with 2 Lean Mass in People with Coronary Heart Disease. Further 3 Insights from the CARE-CR study

BackgroundLow muscle mass disproportionately affects people with coronary heart disease compared to healthy controls but is under-researched and insufficiently treated. Inflammation, poor nutrition, and neural decline might contribute to low muscle mass. This study aimed to assess circulatory biomarkers related to these mechanisms (albumin, transthyretin, alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST]) and C-terminal agrin fragment) and their relationship with muscle mass in people with coronary heart disease. Our findings could be beneficial to indicate mechanisms of sarcopenia, detect sarcopenia, and evaluate treatment. MethodsSerum blood samples from people with coronary heart disease were analysed for biomarker concentrations using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Skeletal muscle mass was estimated using dual X-ray absorptiometry derived appendicular lean mass and reported as skeletal muscle index (SMI; kg.m−2), and as a proportion of total body mass (appendicular skeletal mass [ASM%]). Low muscle mass was defined as a SMI <7.0 and <6.0 kg.m-2, or ASM% <25.72% and <19.43% for men and women, respectively. Associations between biomarkers and lean mass were adjusted for age and inflammation.ResultsSixty-four people were assessed; fourteen (21.9%) had low muscle mass. People with low muscle mass had lower transthyretin (effect size 0.34, P = 0.007), ALT (effect size 0.34, P = 0.008) and AST (effect size 0.26, P = 0.037) concentrations, compared to those with normal muscle mass. SMI was associated with inflammation-corrected ALT (r = 0.261, P = 0.039) and with inflammation- and age-adjusted AST/ALT ratio (r = −0.257, P = 0.044). Albumin and C-terminal agrin fragment were not associated with muscle mass indices.ConclusionCirculatory transthyretin, ALT and AST were associated with low muscle mass in people with coronary heart disease. Low concentrations of these biomarkers might indicate that low muscle mass is partially explained by poor nutrition and high inflammation in this cohort. Targeted treatments to address these factors could be considered for people with coronary heart disease

Factors affecting decision making in children with complex care needs:a consensus approach to develop best practice in a UK children’s hospital

BACKGROUND: Children with complex care needs are a growing proportion of the sick children seen in all healthcare settings in the UK. Complex care needs place demands on parents and professionals who often require many different healthcare teams to work together. Care can be both materially and logistically difficult to manage, causing friction with parents. These difficulties may be reduced if common best practice standards and approaches can be developed in this area. OBJECTIVE: To develop a consensus approach to the management of complexity among healthcare professionals, we used a modified Delphi process. The process consisted of a meeting of clinical leaders to develop candidate statements, followed by two survey rounds open to all professionals in a UK children’s hospital to measure and establish consensus recommendations. RESULTS: Ninety-nine professionals completed both rounds of the survey, 69 statements were agreed. These pertained to seven thematic areas: standardised approaches to communicating with families; processes for interprofessional communication; processes for shared decision-making in the child’s best interests; role of the multidisciplinary team; managing professional–parental disagreement and conflict; the role of clinical psychologists; and staff support. Overall, the level of consensus was high, ranging from agreement to strong agreement. CONCLUSIONS: These statements provide a consensus basis that can inform standardised approaches to the management of complexity. Such approaches may decrease friction between parents, children and healthcare professionals

Epitaxial influence on the ferromagnetic semiconducotor EuO

From first principles calculations we investigate the electronic structure and the magnetic properties of EuO under hydrostatic and epitaxial forces. There is a complex interdependence of the O 2p and Eu 4f and 5d bands on the magnetism in EuO, and decreasing lattice parameters is an ideal method to increase the Curie temperature, T_c. Compared to hydrostatic pressure, the out-of-plane compensation that is available to epitaxial films influences this increase in T_c, although it is minimized by the small value of poisson's ratio for EuO. We find the semiconducting gap closes at a 6% in-plane lattice compression for epitaxy, at which point a significant conceptual change must occur in the active exchange mechanisms

Origin and Development of Globigerina quinqueloba Natland in the North Pacific

Globigerina quinqueloba Natland is a characteristic planktonic foraminifer inhabiting temperate-subarctic water masses of the world oceans today. Morphotypes referred to Globigerina angustiumbilicata (Bolli) are common to abundant in Miocene deposits at the western and eastern margins of the North Pacific. Both these species are characterized by an average of five chambers in the final whorl and extremely simple morphology. Only subtle differences allow their separation when populations, rather than individuals, are examined. A direct lineage is proposed and illustrated from Globigerina angustiumbilicata to G. quinqueloba within the Middle Miocene to Recent interval. Populations of the Globigerina angustiumbilicata-G. quinqueloba lineage were studied from Middle Miocene ("Globorotalia fohsi barisanensis" Zone) through Pliocene deposits from Honshu Island, California, and the Mohole cores. Recent populations of Globigerina quinqueloba were studied from the eastern and western North Pacific as well as from the Sea of Japan. The following characteristics were measured on an average of 20 individuals from each fossil or Recent population; test diameter, diameter of the proloculus, total number of chambers, number of chambers in the final whorl, coiling direction, and character of the last formed chamber and aperture. Measurements and analysis demonstrate that only three morphologic characters within the lineage exhibit significant variation during the interval studied. These include test diameter, shape of the final chamber and aperture, and spinosity of the test surface. Average test diameter increases from less than 150 microns with in Middle Miocene populations to greater than 200 microns in Pliocene through Recent populations. Specimens with a simple aperture and final chamber are common in Middle Miocene horizons whereas individuals with an aberrant last chamber and lip comprise up to 50 percent of some Recent populations. A qualitative trend is apparent from smooth to hispid tests reflecting a possible change in wall microstructure with time. Oligocene populations have smooth test surfaces, Middle Miocene populations exhibit smooth to finely hispid surfaces, whereas Late Miocene through Recent populations display prominantly hispid surfaces. The study illustrates a long period gradational morphoseries from Globigerina angustiumbilicata to G. quinqueloba. Complications in interpretation of morphologic trends arise due to ecophenotypic variation within populations of a given horizon. The subtle nature of variation among simple morphologic characters during the Middle Miocene through Recent interval hinders a clearcut separation of the two species. Moreover, analysis of population characteristics, rather than analysis of individuals, demonstrates the difficulties inherent in the use of species limits defined on the basis of a single type specimen. Nevertheless, arbitrary statistical limits allow individuals assigned to Globigerina quinqueloba to be initially recognized within the Miocene "Globorotalia mayeri" Zone. Statistically defined populations of Globigerina quinqueloba appear initially within the Miocene "Globorotalia menardii" Zone