The role of stress and health behaviour in linking weight discrimination and health: a secondary data analysis in England

Objective: To examine the role of stress and health-risk behaviours in relationships between weight discrimination and health and well-being.// Design: Secondary data analysis of an observational cohort study.// Setting: The English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.// Participants: Data were from 4341 adults (≥50 years) with overweight/obesity.// Primary outcome measures: We tested associations between perceived weight discrimination at baseline (2010/2011) and self-rated health, limiting long-standing illness, depressive symptoms, quality of life and life satisfaction over 4-year follow-up (2010/2011; 2014/2015). Potential mediation by stress exposure (hair cortisol) and health-risk behaviours (smoking, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption) was assessed.// Results: Cross-sectionally, perceived weight discrimination was associated with higher odds of fair/poor self-rated health (OR=2.05 (95% CI 1.49 to 2.82)), limiting long-standing illness (OR=1.76 (95% CI 1.29 to 2.41)) and depressive symptoms (OR=2.01 (95% CI 1.41 to 2.85)) and lower quality of life (B=−5.82 (95% CI −7.01 to −4.62)) and life satisfaction (B=−2.36 (95% CI −3.25 to −1.47)). Prospectively, weight discrimination was associated with higher odds of fair/poor self-rated health (OR=1.63 (95% CI 1.10 to 2.40)) and depressive symptoms (OR=2.37 (95% CI 1.57 to 3.60)) adjusting for baseline status. Those who reported discrimination had higher hair cortisol concentrations (B=0.14 (95% CI 0.03 to 0.25)) and higher odds of physical inactivity (OR=1.90 (95% CI 1.18 to 3.05)). These variables did not significantly mediate associations between discrimination and health outcomes.// Conclusions: Weight discrimination is associated with poor health and well-being. While this discrimination is associated with stress exposure and physical inactivity, these variables explain little of the association between discrimination and poorer outcomes

Perseverance with technology-facilitated home-based upper limb practice after stroke: a systematic mixed studies review

Background: Technology is being increasingly investigated as an option to allow stroke survivors to exploit their full potential for recovery by facilitating home-based upper limb practice. This review seeks to explore the factors that influence perseverance with technology-facilitated home-based upper limb practice after stroke. Methods: A systematic mixed studies review with sequential exploratory synthesis was undertaken. Studies investigating adult stroke survivors with upper limb disability undertaking technology-facilitated home-based upper limb practice administered ≥ 3 times/week over a period of ≥ 4 weeks were included. Qualitative outcomes were stroke survivors’ and family members’ perceptions of their experience utilising technology to facilitate home-based upper limb practice. Quantitative outcomes were adherence and dropouts, as surrogate measures of perseverance. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used to assess quality of included studies. Results: Forty-two studies were included. Six studies were qualitative and of high quality; 28 studies were quantitative and eight were mixed methods studies, all moderate to low quality. A conceptual framework of perseverance with three stages was formed: (1) getting in the game; (2) sticking with it, and; (3) continuing or moving on. Conditions perceived to influence perseverance, and factors mediating these conditions were identified at each stage. Adherence with prescribed dose ranged from 13 to 140%. Participants were found to be less likely to adhere when prescribed sessions were more frequent (6–7 days/week) or of longer duration (≥ 12 weeks). Conclusion: From the mixed methods findings, we propose a framework for perseverance with technology-facilitated home-based upper limb practice. The framework offers opportunities for clinicians and researchers to design strategies targeting factors that influence perseverance with practice, in both the clinical prescription of practice and technology design. To confirm the clinical utility of this framework, further research is required to explore perseverance and the factors influencing perseverance

Establishing a Predictive Equation for Anaerobic Capacity Utilizing the 300-yard Shuttle Field Test

Anaerobic capacity can be tested through the Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST), Wingate test (gold standard), and the 300-yard shuttle. While each testing is recognized as a valid method of assessing anaerobic capacity, previous investigations found no significant correlation between Wingate test and time to completion of 300-yard shuttle test. The insignificant relationship found between the 300-yard shuttle times and the Wingate outputs insinuate a need for further research investigating the correlations between these two anaerobic tests. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the influence of 300-yard shuttle measures on anaerobic capacity obtained via the Wingate test. METHODS: Twenty-two Division I softball players (20.41 +1.50 yr) completed two anaerobic testing sessions. Session 1 consisted of the 30s all out Wingate test. Sessions 2 was completed 48 hours following session 1 and involved the performance of two 300-yard shuttle run tests separated with 5 minutes rest. The Wingate test data included: anaerobic peak power (PP), average power (AP), power drop (PD), power drop per second (PD/s), maximal speed (MS), and power at maximal speed (PMS). The recorded 300-yard shuttle measures were time and kinetic energy factor (K-factor) (new anaerobic variable) for both attempts, as well as average time and average K-factor. K-factor during the 300-yard shuttle was calculated by utilizing the mass of participants multiplied by speed (distance divided by time elapsed) squared. A backwards stepwise multiple linear regression was employed to examine the influence of 300-yard shuttle on anaerobic capacity measure obtained via Wingate test. RESULTS: Statistical analysis identified the second 300-yard shuttle attempt time (S300) predicting AP as the model of best fit, which S300 explaining 32.7% of the variance of AP; furthermore, generating the following predictive equation: AP = 9.91 – (.049 x S300). Secondly, 84.2% of the variance in PD was explained by Average K-factor (AKF), establishing PD = -.85 + (.098 x AKF) as a predictive equation. Lastly, AKF, also, predicted 84.3% of the variance in PD/s: PD/s = -.028 + (.003 x AKF). CONCLUSION: An aspect of these finding contradicted preview investigations, as the S300 was recognized as a significant predictor of AP, suggesting faster 300-yard shuttle performance may increase AP. The positive significant correlation between the AKF and Wingate PD and PD/s suggest higher AKF may influence greater measures of PD and PD/s. These finding appear to support that calculating K-factor provides a richer understanding of field tested (300-yard shuttle) anaerobic capacity

Association between aspirin use and biliary tract cancer survival

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The Relationship between 60-yard sprint, 30-yard sprint, Standardized Base Stealing Sprint, and Offensive Baseball Performance

Athletic performance testing protocols strive to accurately predicting or gain better understanding of an athlete’s performance within a particular sport or game. Regarding baseball, Wolfe and colleagues (2012) examined the predictive validity of the 60-yard shuttle run on pitching performance and concluded that strikeouts and innings pitched were significantly related to elevated kinetic energy factors of pitchers obtained from the shuttle run performance. Concerning for baseball position players, the 60-yard sprint (60YS) is traditionally utilized to showcase “baseball speed”, with minimal empirical evident supporting predictability to baseball specific performance outcomes. PURPOSE: The aim of the current investigation was to have examine the relationship between 60YS and offensive baseball performance outcomes, as well as the 30-yard sprint (30YS) test, and newly created standardized 1st to 2nd sprint (STS) test relationship to offensive baseball performance outcomes. METHODS: Division I baseball position players (n = 17; height: 180.92 ± 5.61 cm; weight: 82.1 ± 11.12 kg) performed three sprinting tests: 60YS, 30YS, and STS. Each test was recorded using the Brower Timing Gate System, with sprint time recorded in second. All testing was completed prior to the first game of the team’s college baseball season. Offensive baseball performance measures were recorded throughout 61 regular season games. The following baseball performance data was collected from the university’s official NCAA game performance website: total stolen bases (SB), stole base attempts (AT), stolen base percentage (SBP), at bats (AB), hits (H), doubles (DB), triples (TR), homeruns (HR), runs (R), base-on-balls (BB), hit by pitch (HBP), on base percentage (OBP), slugging percentage (SLP), touched bases (TB), runs batted in (RBI), and batting average (AVE). Pearson’s product-moment correlation (p \u3c .05) was employed to examine the correlation between sprint tests and offensive baseball performance. RESULTS: The statistical analysis revealed significant correlations between STS (p = .002, r = -.762), 30 yd sprint (p = .048, r = -.556), and 60 yd sprint (p = .038, r = -.578) and SB. Additionally, a significant correlation was identified between OBP and STS (p = .022, r = -.625), 30YS (p = .027, r = -.609), and 60YS (p = .020, r = -.633). Aside from these two baseball performance metrics, 30YS and 60YS had no significant correlation with baseball performance. However, STS, additionally, significantly (p \u3c .05) correlated with AT, AB, H, TR, HR, R, BB, SLP, TB, RBI, and AVE. CONCLUSION: The STS, 30YS, and 60YS had a significant relationship with offensive baseball performance. However, the results of 30YS and 60YS only correlated with two offensive measures, while STS had a significant correlation with all but 3 offensive performance metrics. These findings suggest STS may be a more relevant measure for predicting offensive baseball performance than the traditional 30YS and 60YS tests

Biochemical characterization of a novel monospecific endo-β-1,4-glucanase belonging to GH Family 5 from a rhizosphere metagenomic library

Cellulases have a broad range of different industrial applications, ranging from food and beverages to pulp and paper and the biofuels area. Here a metagenomics based strategy was used to identify the cellulolytic enzyme CelRH5 from the rhizosphere. CelRH5 is a novel monospecific endo-β-1,4-glucanase belonging to the glycosyl hydrolase family 5 (GH5). Structural based modelling analysis indicated that CelRH5 is related to endo-β-1,4-glucanases derived from thermophilic microorganisms such as Thermotoga maritima, Fervidobacterium nodosum and Ruminiclostridium thermocellum sharing 30-40% amino acid sequence identity. The molecular weight of the enzyme was determined as 40.5 kDa. Biochemical analyses revealed that the enzyme displayed good activity with soluble forms of cellulose as a substrate such as ostazin brilliant red hydroxyethyl cellulose (OBR-HEC), carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) and insoluble azurine cross-linked hydroxyethylcellulose (AZCL-HEC). The enzyme shows highest enzymatic activity at pH 6.5 with high pH tolerance, remaining stable in the pH range 4.5 – 8.5. Highest activity was observed at 40 ˚C, but CelRH5 is psychrotolerant being active and stable at temperatures below 30 ˚C. The presence of final products of cellulose hydrolysis (glucose and cellobiose) or metal ions such as Na+, K+, Li+ and Mg2+, as well as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), urea, dithiothreitol (DTT), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) or glycerol, did not have a marked effect on CelRH5 activity. However, the enzyme is quite sensitive in presence of 10 mM ions Zn2+, Ni2+, Co2+, Fe3+ and reagents such as 1 M guanidine HCl, 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and 20% ethanol. Given that it is psychrotolerant and retains activity in the presence of final cellulose degradation products, metal ions and various reagents, which are common in many technological processes; CelRH5 may be potential suitability for a variety of different biotechnological applications

Tale of two curricula: The performance of 2000 students in introductory electromagnetism

The performance of over 2000 students in introductory calculus-based electromagnetism (E&M) courses at four large research universities was measured using the Brief Electricity and Magnetism Assessment (BEMA). Two different curricula were used at these universities: a traditional E&M curriculum and the Matter & Interactions (M&I) curriculum. At each university, postinstruction BEMA test averages were significantly higher for the M&I curriculum than for the traditional curriculum. The differences in post-test averages cannot be explained by differences in variables such as preinstruction BEMA scores, grade point average, or SAT Reasoning Test (SAT) scores. BEMA performance on categories of items organized by subtopic was also compared at one of the universities; M&I averages were significantly higher in each topic. The results suggest that the M&I curriculum is more effective than the traditional curriculum at teaching E&M concepts to students, possibly because the learning progression in M&I reorganizes and augments the traditional sequence of topics, for example, by increasing early emphasis on the vector field concept and by emphasizing the effects of fields on matter at the microscopic level