The psychological response to a low carbohydrate ketogenic diet in combination with a six-week strength training protocol

The aim of the present study was to determine whether or not long-term adherence to a Low-Carbohydrate Ketogenic Diet (LCKD) combined with a powerlifting strength training protocol could produce a positive psychological response. This six-week randomized control trial consisted of a treatment (LCKD) group (7% carbohydrates, 50% fat and 45% protein) and a control (CON) group (ad libitum). Both groups completed a validated powerlifting training protocol, as well as the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Profile of Mood States. Multivariate testing and general linear modeling statistical analyses were used to compare psychological response between groups (p \u3c 0.05) and found that there was a significant decrease in anxiety over the duration of six-weeks among both groups. No other psychological responses, including negative responses, were found to be significant. All participants significantly improved one-repetition max bench press, back squat, and deadlift (p \u3c 0.05). The main findings of this study suggest that some positive psychological responses exist from long-term LCKD adherence, as well as potential increases in strength performance

Effects of crowding on growth rate and symbiosis in green hydra

In order to examine the relationship between crowding and growth rate in green hydra (Hydra viridis), we raised animals at various levels of fixed population densities; all new individuals in excess of the fixed densities were counted and removed every 4 days. A significant inverse relationship between population density and population growth rate exists. In addition, hydras were found to increase or decrease their growth rates in response to rapid changes of density after acclimation to fixed densities. The most dramatic effects were noted when the changes in degrees of crowding were greatest. Investigation of the effects of crowding in hydras on the total quantity of algal endosymbionts and their pigments revealed no significant changes in algal numbers or in carotenoid to chlorophyll-tf ratios at any level of crowding. Data on the presence of a water borne inhibitor of asexual reproduction supported the hypothesis that crowded culture medium contains a substance which depresses growth rates in green hydras

Retirement investor risk tolerance in tranquil and crisis periods: Experimental survey evidence

We conduct a choice experiment to investigate the impact of the financial crisis of 2008 on retirement saver investment choice and risk aversion. Analysis of estimated individual risk parameters shows a small increase in mean risk aversion between the relatively tranquil period of early 2007 and the crisis conditions of late 2008. Investment preferences of survey respondents, estimated using the scale-adjusted version of a latent class choice model, also change during the crisis. We identify age and income as important determinants of preference classes in both surveys and age is also identified as a key determinant of variability (scale). Young and low income individuals make choices that are more consistent with standard mean- variance analysis, but older and higher income individuals react positively to both higher returns and increasing risk in returns. Overall we find a mild moderating of retirement investor risk tolerance in 2008. © The Institute of Behavioral Finance

Investment decisions for retirement savings

We conducted a choice experiment to investigate whether retirement savers follow simple portfolio theory when choosing investments. We modeled experimental survey data on 693 participants using a scale-adjusted version of the latent class choice model. Results show that underlying variability in response was explained by age and " risk profile" score and that preferences varied with income and age. Younger individuals were conventionally risk averse, but older, higher-income individuals may react positively to both higher returns and increasing risk, when risk is presented as widening ranges of possible outcomes. Respondents tended to choose among a few similar investment options. Copyright 2010 by The American Council on Consumer Interests

Riverine macrosystems ecology: sensitivity, resistance, and resilience of whole river basins with human alterations

Riverine macrosystems are described here as watershed-scale networks of connected and interacting riverine and upland habitat patches. Such systems are driven by variable responses of nutrients and organisms to a suite of global and regional factors (eg climate, human social systems) interacting with finer-scale variations in geology, topography, and human modifications. We hypothesize that spatial heterogeneity, connectivity, and asynchrony among these patches regulate ecological dynamics of whole networks, altering system sensitivity, resistance, and resilience. Long-distance connections between patches may be particularly important in riverine macrosystems, shaping fundamental system properties. Furthermore, the type, extent, intensity, and spatial configuration of human activities (eg land-use change, dam construction) influence watershed-wide ecological properties through effects on habitat heterogeneity and connectivity at multiple scales. Thus, riverine macrosystems are coupled social–ecological systems with feedbacks that influence system responses to environmental change and the sustainable delivery of ecosystem services

Assimilating Remote Sensing Observations of Leaf Area Index and Soil Moisture for Wheat Yield Estimates: An Observing System Simulation Experiment

Observing system simulation experiments were used to investigate ensemble Bayesian state updating data assimilation of observations of leaf area index (LAI) and soil moisture (theta) for the purpose of improving single-season wheat yield estimates with the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) CropSim-Ceres model. Assimilation was conducted in an energy-limited environment and a water-limited environment. Modeling uncertainty was prescribed to weather inputs, soil parameters and initial conditions, and cultivar parameters and through perturbations to model state transition equations. The ensemble Kalman filter and the sequential importance resampling filter were tested for the ability to attenuate effects of these types of uncertainty on yield estimates. LAI and theta observations were synthesized according to characteristics of existing remote sensing data, and effects of observation error were tested. Results indicate that the potential for assimilation to improve end-of-season yield estimates is low. Limitations are due to a lack of root zone soil moisture information, error in LAI observations, and a lack of correlation between leaf and grain growth

Associations of sitting accumulation patterns with cardio-metabolic risk biomarkers in Australian adults

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CRITICAL FIELD FOR SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND LOW-TEMPERATURE NORMAL-STATE HEAT CAPACITY OF TUNGSTEN

We have measured the critical magnetic field for superconductivity In tungsten from 5.5 to 15 mK using a {gamma}-ray anisotropy thermometer, and we have measured the heat capacity between 0.35 and 25 K. Analysis of the data gives H{sub 0} = 1.237 Oe for the 0 K critical field, T{sub c} = 16.0 mK for the critical temperature, {gamma} = 1.008 mJ/mole K{sup 2} for the coefficient of the electronic heat capacity, and {Theta}{sub 0} = 383 K for the 0 K Debye temperature. The measured values of the critical field H{sub c} are consistently higher than those reported by Black, Johnson and Wheatley (BJW) on the CMN temperature scale, but the temperature dependence is similar. This discrepancy and the temperature dependence of H{sub c} suggest that both sets of H{sub c} data are affected by magnetic impurities. Use of the calorimetric {gamma} value permits an improved test of the CMN temperature scale with the very low temperature H{sub c} data obtained by BJW

Patterns of impact resulting from a 'sit less, move more' web-based program in sedentary office employees.

PURPOSE: Encouraging office workers to 'sit less and move more' encompasses two public health priorities. However, there is little evidence on the effectiveness of workplace interventions for reducing sitting, even less about the longer term effects of such interventions and still less on dual-focused interventions. This study assessed the short and mid-term impacts of a workplace web-based intervention (Walk@WorkSpain, W@WS; 2010-11) on self-reported sitting time, step counts and physical risk factors (waist circumference, BMI, blood pressure) for chronic disease. METHODS: Employees at six Spanish university campuses (n=264; 42±10 years; 171 female) were randomly assigned by worksite and campus to an Intervention (used W@WS; n=129; 87 female) or a Comparison group (maintained normal behavior; n=135; 84 female). This phased, 19-week program aimed to decrease occupational sitting time through increased incidental movement and short walks. A linear mixed model assessed changes in outcome measures between the baseline, ramping (8 weeks), maintenance (11 weeks) and follow-up (two months) phases for Intervention versus Comparison groups. RESULTS: A significant 2 (group) × 2 (program phases) interaction was found for self-reported occupational sitting (F[3]=7.97, p=0.046), daily step counts (F[3]=15.68, p=0.0013) and waist circumference (F[3]=11.67, p=0.0086). The Intervention group decreased minutes of daily occupational sitting while also increasing step counts from baseline (446±126; 8,862±2,475) through ramping (+425±120; 9,345±2,435), maintenance (+422±123; 9,638±3,131) and follow-up (+414±129; 9,786±3,205). In the Comparison group, compared to baseline (404±106), sitting time remained unchanged through ramping and maintenance, but decreased at follow-up (-388±120), while step counts diminished across all phases. The Intervention group significantly reduced waist circumference by 2.1cms from baseline to follow-up while the Comparison group reduced waist circumference by 1.3cms over the same period. CONCLUSIONS: W@WS is a feasible and effective evidence-based intervention that can be successfully deployed with sedentary employees to elicit sustained changes on "sitting less and moving more"