CONTRIBUTION OF MAXIMAL STRENGTH TO PEAK POWER AND RATE OF POWER DEVELOPMENT IN BENCH PRESS MOVEMENT USING FREE WEIGHTS

The purpose of the study was to demonstrate the relationships between peak power output, rate of power development (RPD) and maximal strength in the bench press movement with free weights. Eighteen healthy male subjects volunteered to participate in the study (mean age 21.1±1.4year, standing height 169.9±6.5cm, body mass (BM) 75.6±16.8kg). All subjects had moderate to extensive resistance training experience ranging from 1 to 5 years. The bench press movement was performed with a weight of 50% of one repetition maximum (1RM). Acceleration data were obtained with a uniaxial micromachined accelerometer attached to the centre of a barbell shaft. Based on the acceleration data, peak power output (W), time to peak power (TPP, s) and RPD (W/s) were computed. Significant correlations were found between peak power per body mass vs. 1RM/BM (r = 0.650, ) and RPD/BM vs. 1RM/BM (r = 0.557,. However, RPD/BM and TPP were not significantly different between the high-strength group and the low-strength group. The current findings indicate that increasing maximal strength may play a great role in the peak power improvement, but not on the RPD using free weights. Authors recommend mixed training strategy using a heavy weight and a light to medium weight to effectively improve the bench press performance

Effect of Laughter Yoga on Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical usefulness of laughter yoga for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a pulmonary rehabilitation setting. Design: Pilot study, with randomization of participants. Setting: This study was conducted by the Yoshino-cho National Health Insurance Yoshino Hospital Department of Internal Medicine. Participants: Stable outpatients with COPD (7 men and 1 woman, age 64 to 84 years) participated in the pulmonary rehabilitation program during a 2-week period. Intervention : The patients were divided into two groups based on a sealed envelope randomization method. The laughter yoga group had a 10-min laughter yoga session before exercise training. Patients in both groups had exercise training, educational programs, lung physiotherapy, and nutrition counseling. Outcome Measures: Health-related quality of life using the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and the Medical Research Council (MRC) Health Survey Short Form 36-item (SF-36), depression scores using the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), anxiety scores using State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and spirometry, the 6-minute walk test and mMRC dyspnea scale results were evaluated before and at 2 weeks after the program in both groups. Results: There were significant improvements in the SGRQ impacts domain and the SF-36 general health domain in the laughter yoga group, while the SF-36 physical functioning domain significantly improved in the control group. SDS and STAI result did not significantly change in either group. Spirometry, the 6-minute walk test, and MRC dyspnea scale results did not significantly change in either group. Conclusion: Laughter yoga may improve the psychological quality of life in patients with COPD

Hitomi (ASTRO-H) X-ray Astronomy Satellite

The Hitomi (ASTRO-H) mission is the sixth Japanese x-ray astronomy satellite developed by a large international collaboration, including Japan, USA, Canada, and Europe. The mission aimed to provide the highest energy resolution ever achieved at E  >  2  keV, using a microcalorimeter instrument, and to cover a wide energy range spanning four decades in energy from soft x-rays to gamma rays. After a successful launch on February 17, 2016, the spacecraft lost its function on March 26, 2016, but the commissioning phase for about a month provided valuable information on the onboard instruments and the spacecraft system, including astrophysical results obtained from first light observations. The paper describes the Hitomi (ASTRO-H) mission, its capabilities, the initial operation, and the instruments/spacecraft performances confirmed during the commissioning operations for about a month

Roles of Microbial Activity and Anthraquinone-2,7-disulfonate as a Model of Humic Substances in Leaching of Iron from Hematite into Seawater

Fertilization with a mixture of steelmaking slag and compost can affect the supply of dissolved iron used to restore seaweed beds, however, the mechanisms of iron elution from the fertilizer are not well understood. In the present study, the microorganism was isolated from Fe-fertilizer incubated in coastal seawater for 6 months, and was identified as Exiguobacterium oxidotolerans by 16S rDNA sequencing. The iron elutability of the bacteria was proved based on the increasing of dissolved iron by incubation with Fe2O3 (hematite) under a seawater-like condition. The value of ORP was changed by inoculated of the bacteria from ca. 0 to ca. -400 mV, which is anticipated concerning to reduction of Fe. The concentration of eluted iron was largely depended on those of organic acids produced by bacteria. From the results, it was proved that E. oxidotolerans is capable of Fe reductive eluting of iron from Fe2O3 into seawater. Anthraquinone-2,7-disulfonate (AQDS), which can play as an electron acceptor/donor between microbe and insoluble Fe2O3 particles, enhanced the effect of iron bio-leaching