Fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene influences skeletal muscle phenotypes in non-resistance trained males and elite rugby playing position

Background FTO gene variants have been associated with obesity phenotypes in sedentary and obese populations, but rarely with skeletal muscle and elite athlete phenotypes. Methods In 1089 participants, comprising 530 elite rugby athletes and 559 non-athletes, DNA was collected and genotyped for the FTO rs9939609 variant using real-time PCR. In a subgroup of non-resistance trained individuals (NT; n = 120), we also assessed structural and functional skeletal muscle phenotypes using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, ultrasound and isokinetic dynamometry. In a subgroup of rugby athletes (n = 77), we assessed muscle power during a countermovement jump. Results In NT, TT genotype and T allele carriers had greater total body (4.8% and 4.1%) and total appendicular lean mass (LM; 3.0% and 2.1%) compared to AA genotype, with greater arm LM (0.8%) in T allele carriers and leg LM (2.1%) for TT, compared to AA genotype. Furthermore, the T allele was more common (94%) in selected elite rugby union athletes (back three and centre players) who are most reliant on LM rather than total body mass for success, compared to other rugby athletes (82%; P = 0.01, OR = 3.34) and controls (84%; P = 0.03, OR = 2.88). Accordingly, these athletes had greater peak power relative to body mass than other rugby athletes (14%; P = 2 x 10-6). Conclusion Collectively, these results suggest that the T allele is associated with increased LM and elite athletic success. This has implications for athletic populations, as well as conditions characterised by low LM such as sarcopenia and cachexia

The cost-effectiveness of providing antenatal lifestyle advice for women who are overweight or obese: the LIMIT randomised trial

BACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity during pregnancy is common, although robust evidence about the economic implications of providing an antenatal dietary and lifestyle intervention for women who are overweight or obese is lacking. We conducted a health economic evaluation in parallel with the LIMIT randomised trial. Women with a singleton pregnancy, between 10(+0)-20(+0) weeks, and BMI ≥25 kg/m(2) were randomised to Lifestyle Advice (a comprehensive antenatal dietary and lifestyle intervention) or Standard Care. The economic evaluation took the perspective of the health care system and its patients, and compared costs encountered from the additional use of resources from time of randomisation until six weeks postpartum. Increments in health outcomes for both the woman and infant were considered in the cost-effectiveness analysis. Mean costs and effects in the treatment groups allocated at randomisation were compared, and incremental cost effectiveness ratios (ICERs) and confidence intervals (95%) calculated. Bootstrapping was used to confirm the estimated confidence intervals, and to generate acceptability curves representing the probability of the intervention being cost-effective at alternative monetary equivalent values for the outcomes avoiding high infant birth weight, and respiratory distress syndrome. Analyses utilised intention to treat principles. RESULTS: Overall, the increase in mean costs associated with providing the intervention was offset by savings associated with improved immediate neonatal outcomes, rendering the intervention cost neutral (Lifestyle Advice Group $11261.19±$14573.97 versus Standard Care Group $11306.70±$14562.02; p=0.094). Using a monetary value of $20,000 as a threshold value for avoiding an additional infant with birth weight above 4 kg, the probability that the antenatal intervention is cost-effective is 0.85, which increases to 0.95 when the threshold monetary value increases to$45,000. CONCLUSIONS: Providing an antenatal dietary and lifestyle intervention for pregnant women who are overweight or obese is not associated with increased costs or cost savings, but is associated with a high probability of cost effectiveness. Ongoing participant follow-up into childhood is required to determine the medium to long-term impact of the observed, short-term endpoints, to more accurately estimate the value of the intervention on risk of obesity, and associated costs and health outcomes. TRIALS REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12607000161426).Jodie M Dodd, Sharmina Ahmed, Jonathan Karnon, Wendy Umberger, Andrea R Deussen, Thach Tran, Rosalie M Grivell, Caroline A Crowther, Deborah Turnbull, Andrew J McPhee, Gary Wittert, Julie A Owens, Jeffrey S Robinson and For the LIMIT Randomised Trial Grou

The reliability of methods to estimate the number and size of human motor units and their use with large limb muscles

PurposeCurrent methods for estimating muscle motor unit (MU) number provide values which are remarkably similar for muscles of widely differing size, probably because surface electrodes sample from similar and relatively small volumes in each muscle. We have evaluated an alternative means of estimating MU number that takes into account differences in muscle size.MethodsIntramuscular motor unit potentials (MUPs) were recorded and muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) was measured using MRI to provide a motor unit number estimate (iMUNE). This was compared to the traditional MUNE method, using compound muscle action potentials (CMAP) and surface motor unit potentials (sMUPs) recorded using surface electrodes. Data were collected from proximal and distal regions of the vastus lateralis (VL) in young and old men while test–retest reliability was evaluated with VL, tibialis anterior and biceps brachii.ResultsMUPs, sMUPs and CMAPs were highly reliable (r = 0.84–0.91). The traditional MUNE, based on surface recordings, did not differ between proximal and distal sites of the VL despite the proximal CSA being twice the distal CSA. iMUNE, however, gave values that differed between young and old and were proportional to the muscle size.ConclusionWhen evaluating the contribution that MU loss makes to muscle atrophy, such as in disease or ageing, it is important to have a method such as iMUNE, which takes into account any differences in total muscle size

A comparison of the effects of porcine somatotropin, genetic selection and sex on performance, carcase and meat quality traits of pigs fed ad libitum

A comparison was made of the effect of recombinant porcine somatotropin (PST) and genetic selection on performance, carcase and meat quality traits of entire male and female pigs grown from 50 kg to 90 kg liveweight and fed ad libitum. Pigs of each sex were drawn from a selected and an unselected control line of common genetic origin and subjected to daily intramuscular injections of either 90 g PST or saline per kg body weight. The selected line had undergone a period of selection for low backfat (P2) depth and high growth rate. The effects of PST and selection were additive for all traits. For performance traits, growth rate was increased 17% by PST and 22% by selection, food conversion ratio was reduced 20% by PST and 14% by selection. For carcase traits P2 fat depth was reduced 15% by PST and 14% by selection. Both PST and selection caused a 1.3% reduction in killing out. For chemical composition of soft tissue, fat was reduced 9.1% by PST and 2.4% by selection, water was increased 6.9% by PST and 2.2% by selection, and protein was increased 2.1% by PST. For lean quality traits, PST had the slightly adverse effect of increasing paleness, cooking loss and firmness of certain muscles, particularly in males, but selection had no adverse effect. The changes brought about by PST could be accounted for by the repartitioning of metabolisable energy away from fat and toward protein whereas both repartitioning and increased appetite accounted for the effects of selection

A comparison of the effects of porcine somatotropin, genetic selection and sex on performance, carcase and meat quality traits of pigs fed ad libitum

A comparison was made of the effect of recombinant porcine somatotropin (PST) and genetic selection on performance, carcase and meat quality traits of entire male and female pigs grown from 50 kg to 90 kg liveweight and fed ad libitum. Pigs of each sex were drawn from a selected and an unselected control line of common genetic origin and subjected to daily intramuscular injections of either 90 g PST or saline per kg body weight. The selected line had undergone a period of selection for low backfat (P2) depth and high growth rate. The effects of PST and selection were additive for all traits. For performance traits, growth rate was increased 17% by PST and 22% by selection, food conversion ratio was reduced 20% by PST and 14% by selection. For carcase traits P2 fat depth was reduced 15% by PST and 14% by selection. Both PST and selection caused a 1.3% reduction in killing out. For chemical composition of soft tissue, fat was reduced 9.1% by PST and 2.4% by selection, water was increased 6.9% by PST and 2.2% by selection, and protein was increased 2.1% by PST. For lean quality traits, PST had the slightly adverse effect of increasing paleness, cooking loss and firmness of certain muscles, particularly in males, but selection had no adverse effect. The changes brought about by PST could be accounted for by the repartitioning of metabolisable energy away from fat and toward protein whereas both repartitioning and increased appetite accounted for the effects of selection

Android genetic programming framework

Personalisation in smart phones requires adaptability to dynamic context based on application usage and sensor inputs. Current personalisation approaches do not provide sufficient adaptability to dynamic and unexpected context. This paper introduces the Android Genetic Programming Framework (AGP) as a personalisation method for smart phones. AGP considers the specific design challenges of smart phones, such as resource limitation and constrained programming environments. We demonstrate AGP's utility through empirical experiments on two applications: a news reader application and an energy efficient localisation application. Results show that AGP successfully adapts application behaviour to user context. © 2012 Springer-Verlag

Assessment of maximal handgrip strength: how many attempts are needed?

Pathophysiology, epidemiology and therapy of agein