Cytokine response to typical field sports practices in adolescent athletes

The present study compares previous reports on the effect of “real-life” typical field individual (i.e. cross country running and wrestling – representing combat versus non-combat sports) and team sports (i.e. volleyball and water-polo – representing water and land team sports) training on pro (IL-6) and anti (IL-1 receptor antagonist – IL-1ra) inflammatory mediators in male and female late pubertal athletes. An increase in IL-6 was found following each of the training sessions. In contrast, a significant increase in IL-1ra was found only following the cross-country, wrestling and water-polo practices and not following the volleyball practices in both genders. There was no difference in the inflammatory response between individual and team sports practices. The inflammatory response to the typical practices was correlated with the practice-associated lactate change. The greatest increase in IL-6 and IL-1ra occurred following contact sport practices, and was greater following land (wrestling) compared to the water (water-polo) practice suggesting that this increase may reflect muscle tissue damage and not necessarily training intensity. Further research is needed to better understand the influence of “real-life” typical training on exercise training adaptations of adolescent athletes

Effect of glycerol content and pH value of film-forming solution on the functional properties of protein-based edible films

The work is concerned with the effects of glycerol content and pH value of film forming solution on the functional properties of protein-based films. The films were produced of chicken breast proteins, dissolved under either acidic (pH 3) or alkaline (pH 11) conditions, with different concentrations of glycerol (35%, 50% and 65% w/w of protein content). Glycerol content affected significantly mechanical properties, water vapor permeability, color at pH 3 and film solubility (p<0.05). The pH value had significant influence on light transmission, color, transparency and film solubility (p<0.05). Considering the results of mechanical properties and film solubility, the obtained films are in the acceptable range for the use as a packaging material. It was estimated that water vapor permeability, color, light transmission and transparency need to be improved for the application

Optical shield: measuring viscosity of turbid fluids using optical tweezers

The viscosity of a fluid can be measured by tracking the motion of a suspended micron-sized particle trapped by optical tweezers. However, when the particle density is high, additional particles entering the trap compromise the tracking procedure and degrade the accuracy of the measurement. In this work we introduce an additional Laguerre–Gaussian, i.e. annular, beam surrounding the trap, acting as an optical shield to exclude contaminating particles

Effect of Origanum heracleoticum L. essential oil on food-borne Penicillium aurantiogriseum and Penicilium chrysogenum isolates

Molds are ubiquitously distributed in nature and their spores can be found in the atmosphere even at high altitudes. The difficulty of controlling these undesirable molds, as well as the growing interest of the consumers in natural products, have been forcing the industry to find new alternatives for food preservation. The modern trends in nutrition suggest the limitation of synthetic food additives or substitution with natural ones. Aromatic herbs are probably the most important source of natural antimicrobial agents. Origanum heracleoticum L. essential oil has been known as an interesting source of antimicrobial compounds to be applied in food preservation. In the this work, we have investigated the effect of essential oil obtained from O. heracleoticum on growth of six isolates of Penicillium aurantiogriseum and four isolates of Penicillium chrysogenum isolated from meat plant for traditional Petrovacka sausage (Petrovská klobása) production. The findings reveal that the essential oil of O. heracleoticum provides inhibition of all of fungal isolates tested. O. heracleoticum L. essential oil exhibited higher antifungal activity against the isolates of P. chrysogenum than the isolates of P. aurantiogriseum. O. heracleoticum essential oil showed a MIC value ranging from 25 to 100 μL/mL. The fungi cultivated in the medium with higher concentration of essential oil showed certain morphological changes. The alterations included lack of sporulation and loss of pigmentation

Mycopopulations and ochratoxin A: Potential contaminants of Petrovská klobása

Petrovská klobása is traditionally produced dry fermented sausage from the area of Bački Petrovac (Vojvodina Province, Serbia) that has been protected with designation of origin (PDO) according to Serbian legislation. Contamination of this kind of sausage casings by different mould species often occur during the production process, mainly during the ripening and storage. The aim of this study was to isolate and identify moulds that contaminate ingredients used for Petrovská klobása production and its casings during different phases of ripening and storage. Sampling was done during the production process and after 2, 6, 9, 11, 14, 34, 65, 90, 120, 217 and 270 days. Total mould counts in components ranged from 1.60 (mechanically mixed filling) to 4.14 (red hot paprika powder) log10 CFU/g, while the number of moulds isolated from sausage casing surfaces ranged from 0.01 (C3 sausage, 217th day) to 1.60 (C1 sausage, 270th day) log10 CFU/cm2. After total mould counts were determined, isolates were identified and classified in five genera for components (Penicillium - 7 species; Fusarium - 2 species; Aspergillus - 1 species; Alternaria - 1 species; Verticilium - 1 species) and 3 genera for casings surfaces (Penicllium - 3 species; Aspergillus - 1 species; Eurotium - 1 species). It was appointed that 83.33% of isolated species are potential producers of toxic metabolites. The analyses of ingredients and sausages on the presence of ochratoxin A, following the ELISA method, gave the negative results

Improving Human Health in China Through Alternative Energy

In this study, we estimate the health benefits of more stringent alternative energy goals and the costs of reducing coal-fired power plant pollution in China projected in 2030. One of our two overarching alternative energy goals was to estimate the health benefits of complete elimination of coal energy, supplemented by natural gas and renewables. The second was a policy scenario similar to the U.S. 2013 Climate Action Plan (CAP), which played a pivotal role leading up to the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. We used the Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies (GAINS) model created by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis for our model simulations. We found that 17,137-24,220 premature deaths can be avoided if coal energy is completely replaced by alternative energy, and 8,693-9,281 premature deaths can be avoided if coal energy is replaced by alternatives in a CAP-like scenario. A CAP-like scenario using emission-controls in coal plants costs $11-18 per person. Reducing coal energy in China under a CAP-like scenario would free up$9.4 billion in the annual energy budget to spend on alternatives, whereas eliminating the cost of coal energy frees up $32 billion. This study's estimates show that more stringent alternative energy targets in China are worth the investment in terms of health

Chapter 24: Policies for the Energy Technology Innovation System (ETIS)

Innovation and technological change are integral to the energy system transformations described in the Global Energy Assessment (GEA) pathways. Energy technology innovations range from incremental improvements to radical breakthroughs and from technologies and infrastructure to social institutions and individual behaviors. This Executive Summary synthesizes the main policy-relevant findings of Chapter 24 . The innovation process involves many stages – from research through to incubation, demonstration, (niche) market creation, and ultimately, widespread diffusion. Feedbacks between these stages influence progress and likely success, yet innovation outcomes are unavoidably uncertain. Innovations do not happen in isolation; interdependence and complexity are the rule under an increasingly globalized innovation system. Any emphasis on particular technologies or parts of the energy system, or technology policy that emphasizes only particular innovation stages or processes (e.g., an exclusive focus on energy supply from renewables, or an exclusive focus on Research and Development [R&D], or feed-in tariffs) is inadequate given the magnitude and multitude of challenges represented by the GEA objectives. A first, even if incomplete, assessment of the entire global resource mobilization (investments) in both energy supply and demand-side technologies and across different innovation stages suggests current annual Research, Development & Demonstration (RD&D) investments of some US$50 billion, market formation investments (which rely on directed public policy support) of some US$150 billion, and an estimated US$1 trillion to US$5 trillion investments in mature energy supply and end-use technologies (technology diffusion). Major developing economies like Brazil, India and above all China, have become significant players in global energy technology RD&D, with public- and private-sector investments approaching US20 billion, or almost half of global innovation investments, which is significantly above the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries’ public-sector energy RD&D investments (US13 billion). Important data and information gaps exist for all stages of the energy technology innovation investments outside public sector R&D funding in OECD countries, particularly in the areas of recent technology-specific private sector and non-OECD R&D expenditures, and energy end-use diffusion investments. Analysis of investment flows into different stages of the innovation process reveals an apparent mismatch of resource allocation and resource needs. Early in the innovation process, public expenditure on R&D is heavily weighted toward large-scale supply-side technologies. Of an estimated US$50 billion in annual investment globally, less than US$10 billion are allocated to energy end-use technologies and energy efficiency. Later in the innovation process, annual market (diffusion) investment in supply-side plant and infrastructure total roughly US 2005 $0.8 trillion, compared with a conservative estimate of some US$1–4 trillion spent on demand-side technologies. These relative proportions are, however, insufficiently reflected in market deployment investment incentives of technologies, which almost exclusively focus on supply-side options, to the detriment of energy end use in general and energy efficiency in particular foregoing also important employment and economic growth stimuli effects from end-use investments that are critical in improving energy efficiency. The need for investment to support the widespread diffusion of efficient end-use technologies is also clearly shown in the GEA pathway analyses. The demand side generally tends to contribute more than the supply-side options to realizing the GEA goals. This apparent mismatch suggests the necessity of rebalancing public innovation expenditure and policy incentives to include smaller-scale demand-side technologies within innovation portfolios . Given persistent barriers to the adoption of energy-efficient technologies even when they are cost competitive on a life cycle basis, technology policies need to move toward a more integrated approach, simultaneously stimulating the development as well as the adoption of energy efficiency technologies and measures. R&D initiatives that fail to incentivize consumers to adopt the outcomes of innovation efforts (e.g., promoting energy-efficient building designs without strengthened building codes, or Carbon Capture and Storage [CCS] development without a price on carbon) risk not only being ineffective but also precluding the market feedback and learning that are critical for continued improvements in technologies. Little systematic data are available for private-sector innovation inputs (including investments), particularly in developing countries. Information is patchy on innovation spillovers or transfers between technologies, between sectors, and between countries. It is also not clearly understood how fast knowledge generated by innovation investments may depreciate, although policy and investment volatility are recognized as critical factors. Technical performance and economic characteristics for technologies in the lab, in testing, and in the field are not routinely available. Innovation successes are more widely documented than innovation failures. Although some of the data constraints reflect legitimate concerns to protect intellectual property, most do not. Standardized mechanisms to collect, compile, and make data on energy technology innovation publicly available are urgently needed. The benefits of coupling these information needs to public policy support have been clearly demonstrated. A positive policy example is provided by the early US Solar Thermal Electricity Program, which required formal, non-proprietary documentation of cost improvements resulting from public R&D support for the technology. The energy technology innovation system is founded on knowledge generation and flows. These are increasingly global, but this global knowledge needs to be adapted, modified, and applied to local conditions. The generation of knowledge requires independent and stable institutions to balance the competing needs and interests of the market, policy makers, and the R&D community. The technology roadmaps and the policy regime that characterize innovation in end-use technologies in the Japanese Top Runner program are a good example of the actor coordination and knowledge exchange needed to stimulate technological innovation. Generated knowledge needs to spread through the innovation system. Knowledge flows and feedbacks create and strengthen links between different actors. This can take place formally or informally. Policies that are overly focused on the development of technological “hardware” should be rebalanced to support interactions and learning between actors. The provision of test facilities in the early years of the Danish wind industry is a good example of how policy can support knowledge flows and the strengthening of collaborative links within networks of actors in an innovation system (energy companies, turbine manufacturers, local owners). Long-term, consistent, and credible institutions underpin investments in knowledge generation, particularly from the private sector, and consistency does not preclude learning. Knowledge institutions must be responsive to experience and adaptive to changing conditions. Although knowledge flows through international cooperation and experience sharing cannot presently be analyzed in detail, the scale of the innovation challenge emphasizes their importance alongside efforts to develop the capacity to absorb and adapt knowledge to local needs and conditions. The current global cooperation in energy technology innovation is well illustrated by the International Energy Agency (IEA) technology cooperation programs reviewed in Section 4.4 ; all invariably show a sparse involvement from developing countries. Clear, stable, and consistent expectations about the direction and shape of the innovation system are necessary for innovation actors to commit time, money, and effort with only the uncertain promise of distant returns. To date, policy support for the innovation system has been characterized by volatility, changes in emphasis, and a lack of clarity. The debilitating consequences on innovation outcomes of stop-go policies are well illustrated by the wind and solar water heater programs in the United States through the 1980s, as well as the large-scale (but fickle) US efforts to develop alternative liquid fuels (Synfuels). The legacy of such innovation policy failures can be long lasting. The creation of a viable and successful Brazilian ethanol industry through consistent policy support over several decades, including agricultural R&D, guaranteed ethanol purchase prices, and fuel distribution infrastructures, as well as vehicle manufacturing (flex fuel cars), is a good example of a stable, aligned, and systemic technology policy framework. It is worth noting that even in this highly successful policy example, it has taken some three decades for domestic renewable ethanol to become directly cost competitive with imported gasoline. Policies need also to be aligned . Innovation support through early research and development is undermined by an absence of support for their demonstration to potential investors and their subsequent deployment in potential markets. Policies to support innovations in low-carbon technologies are undermined by subsidies to support carbon-intensive technologies. Fuel efficiency standards that set minimum (static) efficiency floors fail to stimulate continuous technological advances, meaning innovations in efficiency stagnate once standards are reached. As a further example of misalignment, the lack of effective policies to limit the demand for mobility mean efficiency improvements can be swamped by rising activity levels. Policies should support a wide range of technologies. However seductive they seem, “silver bullets” do not exist without the benefit of hindsight. Innovation policies should use a portfolio approach under a risk-hedging and “insurance policy” decision-making paradigm. Portfolios need to recognize also that innovation is inherently risky. Failures vastly outnumber successes. Experimentation, often for prolonged periods (decades rather than years), is critical to generate the applied knowledge necessary to support the scaling up of innovations to the mass market. The whole energy system should be represented in innovation portfolios, not only particular groups or types of technologies; the entire suite of innovation processes should be included, not just particular stages or individual mechanisms. Less capital-intensive, smaller-scale (i.e., granular ) technologies or projects are less of a drain on scarce resources, and failure has less serious consequences. Granular projects and technologies with smaller scales (MW rather than GW) therefore should figure prominently in any innovation portfolio. Finally, public technology policy should not be beholden to incumbent interests that favor support for particular technologies that either perpetuate the lock-in of currently dominant technologies or transfer all high innovation risks of novel concepts to the public sector

Effect of local cold-pack application on systemic anabolic and inflammatory response to sprint-interval training: a prospective comparative trial

We evaluated the effect of cold ice-pack application following a brief sprint-interval training on the balance between anabolic mediators [growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), testosterone], catabolic markers (cortisol, IGFBP-1), and circulating pro [Interlukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-1β]- and anti-inflammatory cytokines [IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra)]. Twelve males, elite junior handball players performed 4 × 250 m treadmill run, at 80% of each individual’s maximal speed, followed by a rest period with and without local cold-pack application. Pre, immediately post, and 60-min post-exercise blood samples were drawn. Exercise was associated with a significant increase in IL-6, GH, IGFBP-3, and testosterone levels. Local cold-pack application was associated with significant decreases in IL-1β, IL-1ra, IGF-I, and IGFBP-3 and a greater increase of IGFBP-1 during recovery. Local ice therapy immediately following sprint-interval training was associated with greater decreases in both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and anabolic hormones supporting some clinical evidence for possible negative effects on athletic performance