Effects of High-Volume Versus High-Load Resistance Training on Skeletal Muscle Growth and Molecular Adaptations

We evaluated the effects of higher-load (HL) versus (lower-load) higher-volume (HV) resistance training on skeletal muscle hypertrophy, strength, and muscle-level molecular adaptations. Trained men (n = 15, age: 23 ± 3 years; training experience: 7 ± 3 years) performed unilateral lower-body training for 6 weeks (3× weekly), where single legs were randomly assigned to HV and HL paradigms. Vastus lateralis (VL) biopsies were obtained prior to study initiation (PRE) as well as 3 days (POST) and 10 days following the last training bout (POSTPR). Body composition and strength tests were performed at each testing session, and biochemical assays were performed on muscle tissue after study completion. Two-way within-subject repeated measures ANOVAs were performed on most dependent variables, and tracer data were compared using dependent samples t-tests. A significant interaction existed for VL muscle cross-sectional area (assessed via magnetic resonance imaging; interaction p = 0.046), where HV increased this metric from PRE to POST (+3.2%, p = 0.018) whereas HL training did not (−0.1%, p = 0.475). Additionally, HL increased leg extensor strength more so than HV training (interaction p = 0.032; HV \u3c HL at POST and POSTPR, p \u3c 0.025 for each). Six-week integrated non-myofibrillar protein synthesis (iNon-MyoPS) rates were also higher in the HV versus HL condition, while no difference between conditions existed for iMyoPS rates. No interactions existed for other strength, VL morphology variables, or the relative abundances of major muscle proteins. Compared to HL training, 6 weeks of HV training in previously trained men optimizes VL hypertrophy in lieu of enhanced iNon-MyoPS rates, and this warrants future research

Managing Wicked Herbicide-Resistance: Lessons from the Field

Herbicide resistance is ‘wicked’ in nature; therefore, results of the many educational efforts to encourage diversification of weed control practices in the United States have been mixed. It is clear that we do not sufficiently understand the totality of the grassroots obstacles, concerns, challenges, and specific solutions needed for varied crop production systems. Weed management issues and solutions vary with such variables as management styles, regions, cropping systems, and available or affordable technologies. Therefore, to help the weed science community better understand the needs and ideas of those directly dealing with herbicide resistance, seven half-day regional listening sessions were held across the United States between December 2016 and April 2017 with groups of diverse stakeholders on the issues and potential solutions for herbicide resistance management. The major goals of the sessions were to gain an understanding of stakeholders and their goals and concerns related to herbicide resistance management, to become familiar with regional differences, and to identify decision maker needs to address herbicide resistance. The messages shared by listening-session participants could be summarized by six themes: we need new herbicides; there is no need for more regulation; there is a need for more education, especially for others who were not present; diversity is hard; the agricultural economy makes it difficult to make changes; and we are aware of herbicide resistance but are managing it. The authors concluded that more work is needed to bring a community-wide, interdisciplinary approach to understanding the complexity of managing weeds within the context of the whole farm operation and for communicating the need to address herbicide resistance

Managing Wicked Herbicide-Resistance: Lessons from the Field

Herbicide resistance is ‘wicked’ in nature; therefore, results of the many educational efforts to encourage diversification of weed control practices in the United States have been mixed. It is clear that we do not sufficiently understand the totality of the grassroots obstacles, concerns, challenges, and specific solutions needed for varied crop production systems. Weed management issues and solutions vary with such variables as management styles, regions, cropping systems, and available or affordable technologies. Therefore, to help the weed science community better understand the needs and ideas of those directly dealing with herbicide resistance, seven half-day regional listening sessions were held across the United States between December 2016 and April 2017 with groups of diverse stakeholders on the issues and potential solutions for herbicide resistance management. The major goals of the sessions were to gain an understanding of stakeholders and their goals and concerns related to herbicide resistance management, to become familiar with regional differences, and to identify decision maker needs to address herbicide resistance. The messages shared by listening-session participants could be summarized by six themes: we need new herbicides; there is no need for more regulation; there is a need for more education, especially for others who were not present; diversity is hard; the agricultural economy makes it difficult to make changes; and we are aware of herbicide resistance but are managing it. The authors concluded that more work is needed to bring a community-wide, interdisciplinary approach to understanding the complexity of managing weeds within the context of the whole farm operation and for communicating the need to address herbicide resistance

Managing Herbicide Resistance: Listening to the Perspectives of Practitioners. Procedures for Conducting Listening Sessions and an Evaluation of the Process

Seven half-day regional listening sessions were held between December 2016 and April 2017 with groups of diverse stakeholders on the issues and potential solutions for herbicide-resistance management. The objective of the listening sessions was to connect with stakeholders and hear their challenges and recommendations for addressing herbicide resistance. The coordinating team hired Strategic Conservation Solutions, LLC, to facilitate all the sessions. They and the coordinating team used in-person meetings, teleconferences, and email to communicate and coordinate the activities leading up to each regional listening session. The agenda was the same across all sessions and included small-group discussions followed by reporting to the full group for discussion. The planning process was the same across all the sessions, although the selection of venue, time of day, and stakeholder participants differed to accommodate the differences among regions. The listening-session format required a great deal of work and flexibility on the part of the coordinating team and regional coordinators. Overall, the participant evaluations from the sessions were positive, with participants expressing appreciation that they were asked for their thoughts on the subject of herbicide resistance. This paper details the methods and processes used to conduct these regional listening sessions and provides an assessment of the strengths and limitations of those processes

Ecological character displacement in the face of gene flow: Evidence from two species of nightingales

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Ecological character displacement is a process of phenotypic differentiation of sympatric populations caused by interspecific competition. Such differentiation could facilitate speciation by enhancing reproductive isolation between incipient species, although empirical evidence for it at early stages of divergence when gene flow still occurs between the species is relatively scarce. Here we studied patterns of morphological variation in sympatric and allopatric populations of two hybridizing species of birds, the Common Nightingale (<it>Luscinia megarhynchos</it>) and the Thrush Nightingale (<it>L. luscinia</it>).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We conducted principal component (PC) analysis of morphological traits and found that nightingale species converged in overall body size (PC1) and diverged in relative bill size (PC3) in sympatry. Closer analysis of morphological variation along geographical gradients revealed that the convergence in body size can be attributed largely to increasing body size with increasing latitude, a phenomenon known as Bergmann's rule. In contrast, interspecific interactions contributed significantly to the observed divergence in relative bill size, even after controlling for the effects of geographical gradients. We suggest that the divergence in bill size most likely reflects segregation of feeding niches between the species in sympatry.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results suggest that interspecific competition for food resources can drive species divergence even in the face of ongoing hybridization. Such divergence may enhance reproductive isolation between the species and thus contribute to speciation.</p

I AM THE BOY WITH ONE HAND WHO CAN DO ANYTHING”: PERCEPTIONS OF ABILITY AMONG PEOPLE WITH UPPER LIMB ABSENCE

INTRODUCTION Upper limb prostheses are commonly prescribed for people with upper limb absence (ULA) to restore function, cosmesis, and assist with activities of daily living. However, nearly one in five people with ULA chooses not to use a prosthesis1 and instead turns to alternative technology and adaptations, pointing to factors beyond prostheses that shape perceptions of ability and quality of life. We examined through interviews the lived experiences of people with ULA framed around their perceptions of ability, device use, and quality of life. Abstract PDF Link: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cpoj/article/view/32001/24423 How to cite: McDonald C.L, Bennett C.L, Rosner D.K, Steele K.M. I AM THE BOY WITH ONE HAND WHO CAN DO ANYTHING”: PERCEPTIONS OF ABILITY AMONG PEOPLE WITH UPPER LIMB ABSENCE. CANADIAN PROSTHETICS & ORTHOTICS JOURNAL, VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2, 2018; ABSTRACT, POSTER PRESENTATION AT THE AOPA’S 101ST NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, SEPT. 26-29, VANCOUVER, CANADA, 2018. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33137/cpoj.v1i2.32001 Abstracts were Peer-reviewed by the AOPA 2018 National Assembly Scientific Committee

I AM THE BOY WITH ONE HAND WHO CAN DO ANYTHING”: PERCEPTIONS OF ABILITY AMONG PEOPLE WITH UPPER LIMB ABSENCE

INTRODUCTION Upper limb prostheses are commonly prescribed for people with upper limb absence (ULA) to restore function, cosmesis, and assist with activities of daily living. However, nearly one in five people with ULA chooses not to use a prosthesis1 and instead turns to alternative technology and adaptations, pointing to factors beyond prostheses that shape perceptions of ability and quality of life. We examined through interviews the lived experiences of people with ULA framed around their perceptions of ability, device use, and quality of life. Abstract PDF Link: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cpoj/article/view/32001/24423 How to cite: McDonald C.L, Bennett C.L, Rosner D.K, Steele K.M. I AM THE BOY WITH ONE HAND WHO CAN DO ANYTHING”: PERCEPTIONS OF ABILITY AMONG PEOPLE WITH UPPER LIMB ABSENCE. CANADIAN PROSTHETICS &amp; ORTHOTICS JOURNAL, VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2, 2018; ABSTRACT, POSTER PRESENTATION AT THE AOPA’S 101ST NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, SEPT. 26-29, VANCOUVER, CANADA, 2018. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33137/cpoj.v1i2.32001 Abstracts were Peer-reviewed by the American Orthotic Prosthetic Association (AOPA) 101st National Assembly Scientific Committee.&nbsp; http://www.aopanet.org/ &nbsp

An examination of current stroke rehabilitation practice in Peru: Implications for interprofessional education

<p>This study aimed to better understand current clinical practice of rehabilitation professionals in Lima, Peru, and to explore the existence of and potential for interprofessional collaboration. A secondary purpose was to assess rehabilitation professionals’ agreement with evidence-based stroke rehabilitation statements and confidence performing stroke rehabilitation tasks prior to and following an interprofessional stroke rehabilitation training. Current clinical practice for rehabilitation professionals in Peru differs from high-income counties like the United States, as physical therapists work with dysphagia and feeding, prosthetist orthotists serve a strictly technical role, and nurses have a limited role in rehabilitation. Additionally, while opportunity for future interprofessional collaboration within stroke rehabilitation exists, it appears to be discouraged by current health system policies. Pre- and post-training surveys were conducted with a convenience sample of 107 rehabilitation professionals in Peru. Survey response options included endorsement of professionals for rehabilitation tasks and a Likert scale of agreement and confidence. Training participants largely agreed with evidence-based stroke rehabilitation statements. Differences in opinion remained regarding the prevalence of dysphagia and optimal frequency of therapy post-stroke. Substantially increased agreement post-training was seen in favour of early initiation of stroke rehabilitation and ankle foot orthosis use. Participants were generally confident performing traditional profession-specific interventions and educating patients and families. Substantial increases were seen in respondents’ confidence to safely and independently conduct bed to chair transfers and determine physiological stability. Identification of key differences in rehabilitation professionals’ clinical practice in Peru is a first step toward strengthening the development of sustainable rehabilitation systems and interprofessional collaboration.</p

PROSTHETIC LIMB USER EXPERIENCES WITH CROSSOVER FEET: A FOCUS GROUP STUDY TO EXPLORE OUTCOMES THAT MATTER

INTRODUCTION  A variety of prosthetic feet are available to meet the diverse needs of people with lower limb amputation. Outcome measures selected to assess comparative effectiveness of prosthetic feet are most often chosen by clinicians and researchers.1 Therefore, these measures may not reflect the outcomes that are most important to lower limb prosthesis users. Qualitative research can give voice to prosthesis users and promote the consideration of user priorities when selecting outcome measures for clinical assessment and research studies. This study explored the lived experience and outcomes of importance to individuals who have worn both traditional energy storing feet and crossover feet. Abstract PDF  Link: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cpoj/article/view/32042/24456 How to cite: McDonald C.L, Cheever S.M , Morgan S.J., Hafner B.J. PROSTHETIC LIMB USER EXPERIENCES WITH CROSSOVER FEET: A FOCUS GROUP STUDY TO EXPLORE OUTCOMES THAT MATTER. CANADIAN PROSTHETICS & ORTHOTICS JOURNAL, VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2, 2018; ABSTRACT, ORAL PRESENTATION AT THE AOPA’S 101ST NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, SEPT. 26-29, VANCOUVER, CANADA, 2018. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33137/cpoj.v1i2.32042 Abstracts were Peer-reviewed by the AOPA 2018 National Assembly Scientific Committee

PROSTHETIC LIMB USER EXPERIENCES WITH CROSSOVER FEET: A FOCUS GROUP STUDY TO EXPLORE OUTCOMES THAT MATTER

INTRODUCTION &nbsp;A variety of prosthetic feet are available to meet the diverse needs of people with lower limb amputation. Outcome measures selected to assess comparative effectiveness of prosthetic feet are most often chosen by clinicians and researchers.1 Therefore, these measures may not reflect the outcomes that are most important to lower limb prosthesis users. Qualitative research can give voice to prosthesis users and promote the consideration of user priorities when selecting outcome measures for clinical assessment and research studies. This study explored the lived experience and outcomes of importance to individuals who have worn both traditional energy storing feet and crossover feet. Abstract PDF&nbsp; Link: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cpoj/article/view/32042/24456 How to cite:&nbsp;McDonald C.L, Cheever S.M , Morgan S.J., Hafner B.J. PROSTHETIC LIMB USER EXPERIENCES WITH CROSSOVER FEET: A FOCUS GROUP STUDY TO EXPLORE OUTCOMES THAT MATTER. CANADIAN PROSTHETICS &amp; ORTHOTICS JOURNAL, VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2, 2018; ABSTRACT, ORAL PRESENTATION AT THE AOPA’S 101ST NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, SEPT. 26-29, VANCOUVER, CANADA, 2018. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33137/cpoj.v1i2.32042 Abstracts were Peer-reviewed by the American Orthotic Prosthetic Association (AOPA) 101st National Assembly Scientific Committee.&nbsp; http://www.aopanet.org